The Irish standard., 1918-01-12
Editor Irish Standard

Editor Irish Standard"
Dear Sir: Seeing in the columns of
your paper where members of the
Irish Party are in this country APP
healing for funds to check Sim Fem
ism in Ireland, l think it is time that
people know something of their mis-
sion and the party they represent.
Shorn of the confidence of their
countrymen, they embark on a mean
and cowardly plan to get hold of your
dollars by sandering their fellow
countrymen. 1t ought to be known
that the Irish people have called time
after time on those men to resign from
Parliament. as they no longer repre-
sent the people. Those members claim
that Sim Feinism is a pro-German
movement. There is not word of
truth in it when you learn the facts.
We have the Lord Lieutenant of Ire
land declaring in the House of Lords
that Sim Feiners" are not pro-Ger-
mans. Let us hear the President of
Sim Fein, Edward de Valera, telling
us: Were the Germans or any other
power to come to conquer Ireland they
would fight them to the last drop of
their blood"
Where then is the sense of those
gold seekers telling us that Sim Fein
is pro-German. "Sein Fem" is an Irish
word, meaning "our self" The policy
of Sein Fein, which represent the ma
jority of the people of Ireland, is Ito
make it short) ireland for the Irish"
They want to see their country free
and independent of any and every for
eign power. They have as perfect a
right to their country as we have to
America.
That is democracy, yet those men
tell us that "Sein Fein" is danger
to the Allies. 1t is something new to
learn, seeing that thousands of our
gallant young men are fighting for the
very same principle in France. 1t
would be more to the mark if those
emissaries would study the words of
our President before they ask us for
our money.
Now, we learn from them that there
are $4,000 soldiers kept in Ireland tc
keep the peace. 1t must be an easy
job to preserve the peace among an
unarmed people. 1t would look more
like business to us Americans to move
those $4,000 soldiers and seven-eighths
of the police force to the fields OF
France, where they belong, to fight for
democracy, instead of trying to crush
it in Ireland. We are also told that
the Irish Party worked wonders for
Ireland, but we fail to hear how they
consented to split the country in two
and leave the men of the North to the
mercy of the prejudiced Orangemen.
They are silent about their leader
making his pile OIL his Wexford prop
erty, but tell us that John Redmond
pledged the support of Ireland to Eng
land between the list and 4th of Au-
gust, 1914 We would rather hear that
John Redmond said to England at that
time: Now is your time to win or
lose our sympathy. If you want to be
fair grant us our freedom, if not, fight
your own battle. If those men want
our money they should not nave q
trumped up case, but tell us the truth
as regards Sein Fem.
We know by this time that it is not
a pro-German movement, but move
ment to open up the undeveloped re-
sources of Ireland, which are the rich
est in Europe. To control the water
power Of the country, and to make
their country capable of supporting
25,00O,0O0 people. In standing for
honor where honor is due we say:
Onward, Sein Fem; yours is no lust
of gold or territory, but the freedom Of
your country. Your wrongs will be
righted when the day of reckoning
comes by the liberty loving people Of
the earth, God grant that on that day
the Emerald Isle will emerge as our
sis.cr republic IL democratic world.
AN IRISH AMERICAN.