The Washington herald., 1918-01-01

ireland wants delegates sent to
all inter-allied gatherings to be
held in this country or Europe in
the next few months and the plan
is to depend upon America to get
those delegates.
A campaign to bring this to the
attention of Congress is under
headway, and a number of the
prominent members of the body.
whose names indicate that they are
of Celtic derivation, are doing their
utmost to aid the campaign.
Despite the efforts OF the work
ers, however. it Is hardly thought
possible that even with the persua-
sive argument of how much the
Irish have done for this country.
and for the Democratic party, such
a move would be originated on this
side OF the pond. 1t is Johnny
Bulls affair exclusively. and while
we cannot help but feel a keen in
terest in II we cannot carry it on.
many of the leaders say.
The complete dropping of the in
terest in other nations-to the ex-
tent of refusing to try to have a
hand in moulding their political
fortunes-has been recommended
several times by the President. The
effort to interest this nation in the
welfare of Ireland Is an out-and-
out fracture of that recommenda-
ton. II we do IL in Ireland's case
we will have to do 1t in other cases
and bye and bye, at that rate, we
would be attending more to other
countries business than to our
own.
While such a state of affairs
might considerably enhance the
value of the affairs of the other
countries, it might work to the
detriment of our own affairs. In
the end this nation would be the
loser, and, as the President has so
sharply pointed out, it is better
not to start the process. We have
quite a thriving country ourselves.
and working all the time cannot
more than carry it's affairs along in
a way satisfactory and fair to our
own people. We have failed most
signally to do this in the past,
and the only thing in the future
that promises a change is the fact
that We are getting tired of a num-
Der of the old tricks and are begin
ming to throw them of.
II we accomplish what we should
in this nation in the next forty
years-not to mention our limited
part in the reformation of the
Hohenzollernistic clan-we will be
quite as busy as any nation should
be, and we will have no time to
spend on Ireland, or any other land.
for that
to think.
Members of the National Security
League are to dine Senator Chamber
lain shortly in New York, and initi-
ate what they hope to make their
big drive for the universal military
legislation.
Just what the league hopes to do
about Secretary Bakers statement in
opposition to this legislation, however,
has not been made known here, but
it is said that some very strong
moves may be undertaken.
One is to seek President Wilson's
immediate help in the matter. Some
of the leaders of the league think the
President might be reached success
fully. and that he could be prevailed
upon to urge the enactment of this
legislation.
Others are not so sure about this.
They maintain that during a period
of war the Presidents war secretary
would not come out in opposition To
a big military principle unless he had
first consulted with his chief about
IT. Those who are apprised of some
OF the internal affairs of the White
House say that Secretary Baker was
speaking the sentiment of the Execu-
tive and that 1t would be useless TO
undertake this legislation just now.
On the Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee Senator Hitchcock, of Nebras-
ka. vice chairman of the body, ia
opposed to the universal military
training legislation AT THIS TIME.
He argues that the legislation can
very well wait. and that its enact
ment now might prove a matter of
some embarrassment when it came
time to arrange peace terms at the
conclusion of the present conflict
Senator Hitchcock arrived at this con-
clusion some time. ago, and, in ad-
vance of Secretary Bakers statement.
had spoken of 1t to some Of the men,
bers of the Upper House with whom
he Is intimate. 1t is said that con-
siderable support for this view is to
be found in both. Houses at the pres-
ent time. and that there is nothing in
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