The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-11-23

'resentaton
session of Cork Y. NJ. S. took as his
subject ireland and Objects of the
War;"
Without delaying to establish the
proposition that Ireland has been bar
barously treated by England, he ask
ed what was the cause of England's
failure in this country. Perhaps he
should not speak Of failure. which
might imply an honest effort to sue
coed. But England. except as regard
ed few statesmen. had not made an
honest effort to succeed. The cause of
the failure of the British government
here was partially racial. and. in largo
part, religious. England's rule, or mis-
rule. had been misrule by the Anglican
Protestant Church and the House Of
Lords in favor of their friends. the
Protestant Church, and the Irish land
lords. He was astonished that West
Cork had been put under military law.
because. with the exception Of one
isolated and regrettable attack on q
couple Of policemen ut Bantry. the dis
trict was peaceable.
There was one fact that the great
powers must bear In mind In dealing
with Ireland. What was the meaning
of the rising in Dublin? And what
was the meaning of the disposition of
the young men of Ireland towards con.
scription? He believed they knew
that if they attempted another rising
they would not have the slightest
chance-a military chance. He hoped
they would win Irish liberty without
sacrificing any more lives, but he re-
ferred to the situation as one fact-a
great fact-that the powers should
keep in mind, because these were
things that would not be forgotten.
The Younger Generation.
If the settlement of Ireland was not
generous to meet the sentiments of the
younger people it would not be last
ing settlement, and perhaps again-it
might be 80, 40 or so years-a young
er generation will rise up and demand
more. He appealed to the young men
at this solemn crisis of the country's
destiny, to keep themselves under the
splendid discipline and control which
they have observed for the last three
or four years. What was to be the
object of the war with regard to Ire
land? There are three or four solu-
tons of the Irish question before the
world. One of these was that Ireland
should be set up as sovereign, indie
pendent nation, absolutely distinct
call it a republic or kingdom, as they
would. A second was that adopted at
the convention by minority of the
Nationalist Party, and which had come
to be known as colonial home rule.
There were other settlements also
suggested-not so good. He supposed
one Of them was the Orange House of
Lords method-to leave Ireland as she
was, and, If she was not content, keep
on and give her enough coercion.
Fit for Self-Government.
He knew that the several solutions
were getting the attention of thought
full men. He knew, for example, that
if the question was raised whether Ire
land should be made a sovereign ma
ton a lot of wise men at his age would
shake their heads. Well, a lot Of peo-
pie shake their heads at Home Rule
because they asked, "Can we entrust
our business and wealth to the men
who make the National Party?" And
sometimes they were relieved by
hearing it said, ooh, If we got
Home Rule, these are not the men
who would be elected. It is you
and and other sound and conserva-
tive men who would be elected to
our Parliament. Again, any time
that the question was raised "Is Ire
land fit to be cut adrift from Eng
land and set up as a-sovereign State"
the first thought that occurred to a
great many people was that the Gov
errors of Ireland would be the young
Sim Fein boys now advocating Re-
publicanism. When asking the ques-
ton as to Irish independence he would
really ask everyone, men and women,
in the country to cease speaking
slightingly Of their own race and their
own country. He would like every
Irish man and woman, Catholic and
Protestant, to answer that question in
tho of afiuo