The Irish standard., 1919-02-08


Feb 3-Thursday-St. Maura.
Feb 14-Friday-St Valentine.
IRELAND OUT OF WESTMINSTER.
Many friends of Ireland are coming into the belief
that it is futile to continue to send representatives
of Irish parliamentary constituencies to sit at West
minister and participate in the proceedings OF the
British government. This has long been the policy
of the Sim Fein party, and the seventy three men,
bers by it in the last election had pledged
themselves in advance not to accept either seats
salaries members of the British Parliament
Procaiming this part of their platform of prn
ciples they went before the several celebrates and
received the strong Endorsement of the people,
Nearly all of them were elected by big, sweeping
majorities. Thus it was emphatcaly demonstrated
that over two-thirds of the electors Of Ireland
Cured in the policy of abstenton from partcipa-
ton in the affairs of the Empire.
Even some of the Nationalist party who had been
followers of Paruell and Redmond, had entertained
the belief that they would best their country's
interests by retaining from debating and voting
all parliamentary measures except those in which
the affairs of Ireland were Immediately concerned
ustifying their acceptance of seats at Westminster
only the ground that it afforded them the OPP
portunty of making public protest against the
the Union They were persuaded to continue their
attendance at Parliament by the counsel of the
orty of their party, who in turn deceived from
year to year and from decade to decade by the SOL
promises and pledges of the British party
leaders. In this way Irish representation has been
continued since the time q the Gladstone Home
Rule bill of 1886 and up the passage of the Home
Rule statute in 1914 which suspended because
OF the alleged pressure of the exgencies of the
1t was logical consequence OF the Sim Fen
objective ever since the beginning of that organiza
ton that Ireland should neither ask accept repre-
sentation in the Parliament Of Britain Denying
the basic claim Of English jurisdiction in Irish af-
fairs this small group of patriotic workers declared
the inconsistency of maintaining the right of Ireland
to complete independence while the nation was send
ing at each election delegation of representatives
to participate in the British government at West
Minister
And now, after four decades of futile attempts at
reconciliation and adjustment OF the Irish problem,
two-thirds of the people of Ireand have come to
accept the Sim Fein view Of the matter. A British
Parliament without representation Of two-thirds of
Ireland therein will constitute striking object
lesson to the world regarding the vaunted British
boast of democratic government The attention of
the nations assembled the Peace Conference will
be focused on these vacant seats, despite all that
British diplomats able to do in the way of
camoufaging the significance of the situation.
"Why" it will be asked, do the men duly elected to
these seats refuse to occupy them?" England will
be compelled to that pointed question salts
factorily if she wishes to retain the confidence and
esteem of the nations assembled in the interests of
democracy and permanent peace of the world. But
ireland, too, is ready and should be given the OPP
portunity to answer the question before the
great tribunal of the world.
What part of that answer may and doubtless
will be we quote from editorial of the Butte indie
pendent written nine years ago. which that excel
lent paper repubshed on the occasion of it's ninth
anniversary. It will be seen that the views therein
expressed have been wonderfully borne out in the
present situation of Irish affairs. Here is excerpt
from the independents editorial:
"In holding and proclaiming the view that Irish
men should not attend the English Parliament we
are possibly lone voice in the wilderness in Mon
tana and in Ireland the Sim Fem party represent
ing small but intelligent and enlightened minority
stands alone in vindication of the principle
The root of Ireand's national and political weakness
lay in the attendance of Irishmen in foreign as
sembly which claims the right to legisate for Ire
land. Those who now believe that Irish atten-
dance in foreign parliament is morally, nationally
and politically disastrous be counted by the
ten thousand Ten years hence we can count in that
conviction the majority of the people of Ireland.
eff all Irishmen could see the wisdom of the Sim
Fein policy, the United Parliament at stroke
would become distintegrated Parliament-the
United Kingdom Continental joke-within, we
write it deliberately-two years after Ireland had
retired from the English Parament-England's
statesmen would be seeking terms of settlement as
Austria sought from Hungary. Those who do not
believe now will believe in 1920 Truth is
great and time is with us.
BRITAIN'S GREATEST BLUNDER.
Perhaps Britain's greatest blunder has been her
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