The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-04-14
BRITAIN PATIENT
WITH IRELAND
RECIPROCAL NEWS SERVICE.
From 13 Queen Anne's Gate,
London.
Relayed by Kansas City Office.
BY x. WALTER.

which loyal Americans should know
.hc truth. The prime minister had
made a statement about the critical
military situation in France, which
~ will have read. Mr.. Asquith,
speaking for the opposition, had Civ
en recognition tC the gravity OF the
situation The allies were engaged
In the campaign which is going to
decide the momcntous issues Of the
war this year, for Germany has no
intention of waiting for the United
States to put her slowly but surely
growing strength into the field. The
prime minister had made it clear
Mat the number of men available
for the fighting front within the
teXt six months would be the de-
cisive factor. By acclamation shS
house had approved his decision to
call up men up to 50 years of age to
bake the place Of soldiers behind the
lines who would thus be released
Aor the actual fighting. The applause
was the same voice of Great Britain
that was heard in 1914, a practically
Unanimous resolve to give every
thing for the defeat of PruSsianiSm
1T was made clear, even to the IN
thinking, that, owing to the defec-
non of Russia and the unprepared-
ness of America. Great Britain must
Immediately call out tie final re-
serves of her 1an-power if victory
is to be snatched from the enemy in
this desperate campaign of 1918.
What would loyal Americans say
and do if America were in such a
critical situation, and the congress
sional delegation from Wisconsin or
Minnesota violently opposed the ap-
plication of the draft law to their
state? The least that would be
done, I think, would be to call those
men pro4Germans and Il eat them as
such.
Irishnan Sneers at War Aims.
After Mr.. Asquith had spoken the
youngest and healthiest looking man
in the assembly, certainly within the
military age, rose to speak. He said
that the extension of the draft law
to his state would be resisted by
every power in the command Of his
delegation. He sneered at the OBJ
jects for which English, French and
Americans are gladly giving their
lives. He demanded unconditional
~ that his state should not be called
upon to defend the democracy of
the world. He dehed the govern
ment to apply ne law to his state
and threatened bloodshcd and civil
war. He was savagely applauded by
the other 79 members OF the dele
CATION.
incidentally, it came out in The
course of the debate that the gov
ernment had decided to adopt the
majority report of a state convea-
ton which had included every po-
litical element in the oostructionist
state, and of which the rebel dele
cation formed the backbone of the
majority, and that the government
was prepared to enforce the meas
ure of state autonomy demanded by
that majority against the opposition
OF a loyal minority in the state. This
assurance was given by the govern
ment sight unseen-the report had
only been received that day, the
prime minister had not read it, en-
crossed as he was in the critical af-
fairs of the allied democracies of the
world. But this decision also was
sneered at, even by those men who
had fought for i in convention COR
ten months. Nothing would satisfy
them, but that their state should re-
main exempt from the duties and
sacrifices of democracy.
British forbearance has never been
more exemplifed; l doubt whether
it could have been cqualled in
American assembly. The Interrupt
tions to which the prime minister
was subjected in making his grave
statement were passed over without
a single loud demonstration of an
ger, and frequently in contemptuous
silence. Everybody except the OBJ
structionist so realized that the hour
had passed for factional strife and
when the division was taken the bal
lot showed a minority of 80.
Such, in brief, and divested of the
romanticism of the name of Ireland,
was the scene. These obstruction
lists were not Sim Feiners, support
ed by German-American dollars;
they were Nationalist, to whose
Golfers indeed many thousands Of
American dollars of less doubtful
origin have found theil way. The
political fate OF their country was
put into their own hands by the
assembling of the convention, and
the government is pledged forthwith
to make the will of their convention
effective. The long fight for home
rlle has been won. They have OBJ
tained in war time more than Par
nell and Redmond dared to hope for
in the days of peace. Ireland is 20
have her own parliament and is still
to have delegation in the British
parliament. In their own report
they admit having won everything
that could be asked eXCept the con-
troll of the tariff and the tax on the
manufacture of liquor. And because
they are told that du.y calls them
now, nearly at the end OF the fourth
year of war il which England is
giving all her man-powcr, from bows
of Is to fathers of so, and even S.