New-York tribune., 1918-03-07
solemn requiem mass will be cele,
brated in Westminster Cathe dral.
Redn1onds 5 Loyalty
Caused Leadership
To Be CHALLENGED

John Edward Redmond, like his great
predecessor in Irish leadership, Par
nell, came not from the ranks of the
tenantry of Ireland but from landlord
stock. His father. William A. Redmond,
NJ. P, was small landlord in Wex-
ford. Like Parnell. he knew the pleas
ures of popular acclamation as Ire
lands uncrowned king, and, also like
him, died with his title of Irish leader
seriously challenged by roisv. if
small, faction of the Irish people,
The rock on which Redmond and so
many of his followers split was his
loyalty to the cause OF the Allies, his
opponents charging that when he
pledged the Nationalist party to the
cause of the Allies he did so without
consulting the Irish people. The pro-
a referendum should have been had.
Criticism-bitter, personal and unre-
lenting from Sim Fen and other
sources did not, however, sway him
from his course, and while he found it
necessary to warn the British govern
ment that its course in Ireland was cal
culated to provoke trouble, his criticism
was that of the friendly counsellor who
would avoid disaster abroad by pre-
venting dlssension within the empire.
Was 100 Per Cent Loyal
In thus standing by his guns, Red
mond ran true to form, for he was es-
sentlally 100 per cent loyal to anv man
or cause he might identify himself
win. Prior to the war he was 100 per
cent the Irish Nationalist, just as in
the dark days of Parnell's career he
STUCK to his old chief until death ended
his troubles. y
redmond was a young man. when in
1891, the O'Shea divorce case forced the
CRISIS in the affairs Of Parnell and the
irish Marty. Forty years old, his ten
years IN Parliament from Irish constit-
uencies had made him many personal
friends, but won him no distinction.
With the breaking of the storm about
Parnell he went to the front as his
Jealous champion both against those
freshmen who would drive him from
pupilc lite, and the English politicians
who conspired with them to that end.
The death of Parnell left Redmond
We undlsputed leader of the Parneilite
wing of the Irish party. As such he
was constantly under fire, sometimes
tor lack of aggressivencss and again
tor using what the opposition termed
Dackstalrs methods in his efforts to
bring the party together These ef-
forts were successful, however, due as
much to the personal charm of the
leader. as to the pressure brought to
bear from the United States, Canada
and Australia, and in 1900 a united
party elected him chairman. That po-
sition he held to the day of his death.
Always Opposed Violence
Redmond's course was ever that of
the lrishman who would gain by con
stitutional means what others woulG
obtain by physical force. He was es-
sentially the parliamentarian at all
times and he had little patience with
those who by other means would seel
advantage eiter in or out of Par
lament Under his guidance the Irish
members, VIGOROUSLY the worst be
haved in Parliament, became the mos
orderly, leaving, as he once said,
monopoly of disorder to their Tory
I friends. This made Redmond one Of
the most popular men in the house ant
contributed much to his success in Sc
curing legislation for Ireland.
He was at the height of his powe,
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