Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-21
THE RISING SUN
OF HOME RULE h

TOSEPH DEVLIN may be epigrammatlsed
- as the rising sun of home rule as q ten
able consequent to the Characterization re-
Gently made of John Dillon as belonging
historically to its midday and evening.
Dillon. beyond three score years and n !
tigued by his share In bearing the heat and
burden of the parliamentary movement
begun by Charles Stewart Parnell and car
ried on TO the present postponed hour Of
consummation by John Redmond, was the
natural choice of the Nationalist to succeed
to the titular honors and practical leader.
ship of Erin's lamented chief in and out Of
the House of Commons. Devlin. vigorous
and militant in the prime of the middle
forties, is the heir apparent.
The Irish convention, with the new toer.
ances between Celt and Sassenach and pe-
tween Orange and Green outcoming from the
great war, in which the Nationalist have
stood by the Empire, autonomy in II their
aim and ideal, means not the nightfali ot
home rule, but the dawn of its new oay
And Devlin Is the sun of the dawnlng hgnt
and glory.
Devlin has made his way we'll, but stib
has yeoman work to perform in conductne
polCieS 10 SuCCtsSlul lSsue anu ~
glorious but laborious reconstruction ana
adjustment which home rule will make neces.
sary. Without a shadow of doubt he WIN
succeed TO the leadership for which ne has
equipped himself over a decade and nail
of constructive, clever parliamentary plac.
tice and a longer period of activity IN penan
of home rule as a collector of funds throusn.
out the world of Irish sympathies, wider iaf
than the area of the Ould Sod, and pas
sionate pleader in many n hall and on many
a hustings in the four quarters OF the gioDs
for justice to the denied cause OF Dan
Rosaeen. tf1S
This able man. who is an astute politicias'
but whose qualities of statesmanship are ~.
mitted by opponents, is a legacy to the Hnn
party from Redmond. Looking for "a broln
of bhoy" to do the blarneyin' and serious
speechmaking, Redmond picked his favoriay
Joe" attracted by executive capacity po'm
In formulating policy and. handling do's"
displayed by the young NJ. p. for Kilkenny
attracted especially by the fervent earneg
youths undeniable gift o. the CAB. lnt
was in 1902, when obstruction was pssr
ing before more effective methods 'of attain
ing autonomy. His work from the early oHyt
when he was considered Redmond protes..
till now when he is the logical candidate " Y.
succession to the leadership that must IN W
passage of time soon be relinquisned Z,
Dillon, won for him confidence Of his parne'
He is intense, he Is honest. he Is io'us Z.
right. Despite a loud and harsh yoics'
antithesis of the silver persuasive eioousnS.
of O'ConneH and other leaders OF ycss.
despite the absence of the refined techn'eus
of the virtuoso of public speaking, ne ~
orator of the most impressive type. the w
that compels attention by force OF PEREZ
ality. volcanic Are and fury OF uttei,n
manifest sincerity of expressed Delsi.. NJ.
Minus the graces of oratory he Is aoer y
the devices of elocutionary art. Tne ms
he<has acquired. but his undying eany "
his CAUSE, and from this springs MS W~
is inborn. He is able to reach ana v,,s<-
all sorts of audiences He can DO po1
Out he never hesitates to pierce ana ~
opponsnts with keen edged epithets ~
than once he has scared an opponns ~
batter who tried satire on him WIN ~
biistering sarcasm of Irish irony. ~ ~
scorched heclxlers at meetings Win wv.
flash Of words. Devlin surmounts me- su.:<1 II
ness and stoutness with the physiosncs1< ~
a Tammany politician. But he acts scoss W
ing TO ideals unknown to Fourteentn ~ ~
He IL a good mixer and his going w.
| has strengthened his party. HIS 'vsr< rsr-<'
function was "speechifyins' now -
| ganizing. for which lie has shown nss
| ability. Organization is what Is nov y ~
| needed to reap the harvest OF home tro''
| the Nationalist sewers. ..<.I
Born IN Belfast In 1879, he was educsI
| by the Christian Brothers. In 1893 e h.
| elected to Commons; since 1905 ne -
| continuously for West Belfast u @ VIZ
| add 70 his popularity 70 b. called
| George In minieture," but Y coes
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