The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-11-16


cording to his views of the war aims
Ireland should be independent, says
the Dublin Leader of October 4.
For instance, what answer so far as
Ireland is concerned can be given to
this: "Shall peoples be ruled and dom
mated, even in their own internal af.
fairs, by arbitrary and irresponsible
force or by their own will and choice?"
It is on the face of it impossible to
give any answer except that in the
view Of the war aims of the United
States, Ireland should be free and in
dependent. If President Wilson means
that it is very important matter for
Ireland, and for England also.
The fact that we are materially a
weak ration in no way affects us dis
advantageously in view of the war
aims Of President Wilson speaking on
behalf Of the United States, for he
puts one of the issues of the war as
"Shall strong nations be free to wrong
weak nations. and make them subject
to their purposes and INTEREST,""
A country like Ireland is materially
a very small unit when the great
world tucks up it sleeves and goes out
to wholesale war. Even were Ireland
a sovereign Independent State in be-
ing, with an army of our own, she
would not count for very much what
ever side she took in the clash of
arms where millions are lined up
against millions. Being materially
weak we are all the more interested in
the war aims of the United States,
which declares material weakness to
be no handicap to the obtaining of
Justice and freedom. We are an
authentic nation If there is one on the
face of the world, and if we do not
function, and have not for long time
functioned, as a nation it is because
we are and have been ruled and dom
mated by arbitrary and irrespons-
ible force" It is very important that
Ireland should correctly interpret
President Wilson'S war aims. On the
face of them they appear to mean
complete independence for Ireland
and those who stand for Irish indie
pendence would, it appears to us, have
valid complaint against the United
States if their war aims were at any
tho interpreted in different way.
Al he end of the war the United
States will in many ways be the most
important country in the world. She
ey and the natural resources. Ireland's
strength will not rest in her compar-
: alive stock of men, money or re-
sources, but in her moral claim as an
authentic nation. In our material
weakness we could, if denied justice
by any Power or combination of
Powers, point to the following war is
sue as set forth by President Wilson:
"Shall strong nations be free to wrong
weak nations, and make them subject
to their purpose and INTEREST,""
It seems to us that Ireland ais a ma
ton ought to be left in no doubt as to
the Interpretation she is to place, in
so far. as they affect her own future,
on the war aims of the United
States. They naturally lead people in
this country to conclude that they
mean independence and freedom
without qualifications other than such
qualifications as will affect all States
in the worldwide League of Ma
tions.
We suppose the wish is partly faith
er to the thought when we say that the
world is going headlong into peace.
The civilizations Of the world stand
aghast at over four years of slaugh.
ter and suffering. A peoples peace
would be fitting end to the war of
Governments. The United States. one
of the latest Of the belligerents, is the
strongest power in the world today,
and the world must listen to her. In
his recent epoch-making speech, Pres
ident Wilson said: Unity Of purpose
and Of counsel are as imperatively
necessary in this war as was unity of
command on the battlefield, and with
perfect unity Of purpose and Of coun-
sci will come assurance of complete
victory. It can be had in no other
way" The German government has
now officially asked President Will
son to take in hand the restoration
Of peace. The German government
officially accepts "the programme set
forth by the President of the United
States in his message to Congress, of
January, 1918, and in his later pro-
"nouncements, especially his speech of
September 9th, as basis for peace
negotiations
The speech Of the 9th of Septem-
Der, on the face of it, is, as we have
shown inchmnafihle with anv status