The Irish standard., 1919-08-30
French and PIunks t For
g Dominion Of ireland
Move to Influence American optn.
ion by British Propaoandists.

Catholic Press Association.)
Washington, D. c., Aug. 25.-The
Irish National Bureau is continuing
Its efforts to bring to the attention of
the American people the realization
that Ireland is an International ques-
ton which concerns the United
States by the publication of a letter
written by Lord French, copies of
which have just been received in this
country.
Lord French is for Dominion of
Ireland" as is Sir Horace Plnnkett,
a proposal which has been rejected
out of hand by the Irish Nationalists.
But in his letter he makes some very
interesting observations concerning
the policy of Great Britain and the
anxiety with which it views the awak.
ening of American sympathy for Ire.
land.
The resume of this document Is.
sued by the Irish National Bureau is,
in part as follows:
Resume Of Lord French's Letter.
90. No lrishman with any
knowledge of the continuity of prin.
ciple, or want of principle, underlying
the policy of England towards Ire
land, continuity so curiously exem.
plified within the last few years, will
expect justice or fair play from any
spontaneous wholesale awakening OF
the English conscience.
ut is therefore waste of time argu.
ing with English people on the justice
or injustice Of the Irish cause. If it
suits the powers that govern England
they will suddenly discover that the
Irish demand is just, and that the
Orangemen Is a reactionary standing
in the path of progress. ..-.
English sympathy is in the main
anti-lrish, but self-interest, and moth.
ing else, governs English policy in
the long run. In this England is not
exceptional, but only in the hypocriti
cal claim for the very highest motives
on all possible occasions.
"England's greatness is dependent
on her wealth, which results from her
trade and her position as the money
market of the world. Her trade de-
pends, for one thing, on the solvency
of her customers and on her ability
to finance and, as it were, nurse prom
Using customers. 1t further depends
on her supremacy in shipping and
her geographical position in relation
to Europe.
"The supremacy Of Europe, as a
continent, in wealth and commerce is
essential to the maintenance of Eng
lands predominant position, but as q
result of the war this supremacy of
Europe is most seriously threatened
1T is likely, therefore, that some
paltry measure of self-government
doomed to failure If it ever came into
being, and possibly deliberately de-
signed to be failure will be dressed
up and called Dominion Status and
paraded for the benefit of American
with view of alternating American
sympathy from what would be de-
scribed as unreasonable Irish de-
mands."
He advocates a wide Dominion
status; then, graphically sketching
economic conditions in England itself
warns Englishmen that "No well-in
formed man now regards the powers
that govern in England with respect
and confidence" and that
to nurse further trouble in Ireland,
with the inevitable reaction in Amer.
lea and the Colonies, where people
refuse to be doped with the blessed
words, law and order,' is sheer mad.
ness"
"At present the average Englishman
refuses to realize these facts. He
would say, I have won the greatest
war in History. absolutely command
the seas. ~. America can go tt
blazes.'"