Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1918-12-21


should be deposed forever? Is that
really true? Is the law of justice
to be honestly applied to all, or Is
1t to be still meerly a cloak to hide
lndefensible, selfish purposes and to
be dispensed ad libitum as govern
ments feel inclined and to observe
or ignore as they like? Was the
great war a conflict for true free
dom under right for all alike, or
was it grim hoax played upon the
ingenious by the shrewd manipu-
lators of clever phrases? These are
NIL questions which any man in
the streets who has ears can hear
today. The world of honest, trust
full men is waiting for the answer,
and woe to the world If that answer
be not honest, frank and true.
Surely since the peace of the world
depends upon the answer 1t Is the
solemn duty of all of us, especially
of those of us whose duty 1t Is to
hold up before all alike the great
principles of Christian morality by
which alone mankind can live, to
speak out fearelssly and clearly. lest
being found faithless in such a
world crisis we forfeit forever our
right to be listened to by honest
men.
"If faith is to survive this hour
of universal cropping and striving.
the men of faith must speak. II
they are silent now, then whose the
blame II all faith perishes from the
earth? Is that then the real mean
ing Of Malachy's dread prophecy
religio dRp6pulata2 The deepest
purpose OF this meefing Is that
faith may prevail--faith in gov
|ernments. faith in rulers and con-
crosses, and all that set Of divine
principles and influences and hui
man agencies by which the world is
held in order. This war, we were
told again and again by all those
responsible for the conduct of the
war, was for justice to all, for the
inviolable rights of small nations,
for the inalienable right, inherent
In every nation, of self-determina-
ton.
1.-THE purpose of this meeting to-
night is very specific. The war
can be justified only by the uni
versal application of those princi-
pies. Let that application begin
with Ireland. ireland Is the oldest
nation and the longest sufferer. If
these principles are not applied in
her case, no matter what else may
be done, there will be no complete
justice. no genuine sincerity believ-
able and the war not bringing JUS
tice will not bring peace. Who was
1t who by the enunciation of these
great PRINCIPLES united the peoples
of the whole suffering earth? 1t
was our own President-once Will
son of America, now Wilson of the
world. Tomorrow he lands at
Brest-Brest, the very port out
from which Count Arthur Dillon
sailed with his three thousand Irish
troops to aid America to obtain
from England the very principle of
self-determination which today Ire
land demands, and which we Of
America. in accordance with the
principles enunciated by our Presi-
dent, today also are determined by
every legitimate and lawful Chris
tian means to aid Ireland to obtain
For Ireland equally with America
fought in this conflict for right.
America has fought in this war
not for selfish aims. She has
given her best blood, her hardest
toll and her enormous wealth and
in return gets not one foot of soil,
not single material gain. She has
a right to demand that for which
alone she has made such tre-
mendous acrifices-justice to all
Let the test of sincerity be Ireland.
Then we will be convinced that
truth still lives. Ireland must be
allowed to tell the world freely
what she wants, how she wishes to
be governed. Speak up, Ireland;
make the world hear you'll Wake up,
England. for the world is watching
youi
''May God grant that the voice
of Ireland be heard and that at
last peace, entering Europe
through Ireland's freedom, bring
even to England its blessings and
its fruits. / firmly believe that the
day that England honestly faces
her full duty to Ireland and fulfllls
It faithfully, God will bless her rs
she has not known his blessings for
many centuries. For as with the
Individual soul. so with the soul of
a nation-a clear conscience Is the