South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-18


II It were otherwise. The same will
hold true Of Irish priests.
The world has admired the pa
triotic devotion OF the Belgian
priests. with the great Mercier at
their head. Heroic stories have
come to US OF the bravery OF the
French clergy. We know the un-
forgetable sacrifices OF the Polish
priests. Why is that a crime I'm the
Irish clergy which we attribute AS
glory to the American, Belgian.
French and Polish clergy? Does
Rev. MI Greene, in the Sc
his First NJ r. church on Main St.
deny the right OF Irishmen-and
Irish priests are Irishmen. Just as
American priests are Americans
wish for Ireland a place among the
free nations OF the earth2
What are Irishmen doing but what
the colonies did in the Revolution?
What are Irish priests doing but
what the Belgian priests did-pro-
testing against unjust aggression
and foreign rule In what is Cardi-
nal Mercier's deh different from
| Cardinal Logue's? Both were as
/ sorting the right OF their peoples
Why is It not said that the Belgian
clergy are coercing the non-Catholic
population OF Belgium or that the
/ Polish priests have evil intentions
against the non Catholics OF the new
Poland? They. too, for centuries
have been protesting against the
triple tyranny Of Germany. Austria
and Russia
Is repression and hanging and
shooting and famine and starving
! become n thing sacred because exer-
cised by England And that Is
/ England's story in regard TO ireland.
| II the Rev. Mr. Greene will only
| take the time to read it.
Injustice TO PrOtcstants.
The reverend gentleman, more
over. does very grave injustice TO
the Protestants OF Ireland Of whom
! some OF his audience last night are
| descendants. The non-Catholic pop
ulation Of the island is approximate
/ " 1.147.5OO. or this total not more
than 600. 900 are in favor of union
with England, and since the Easter
day uprising it is estimated that
] 100, 600 more Irish Protestants have
joined the party demanding self-ex-
/ preston One wonders, therefore
/ n these figures tally with Mr.
( Greene's statement of protest made
by the Protestant element of Ire
land"
Moreover, there has not been n
struggle for the past 500 years for
Irish f-government that Protest
ants have not given plentifully Of
| their fortunes and their blood. Rob
ert Emmett and Thomas Davis and
John Mitchell and Charles Stewart
Parnell must wonder what manner
Of Protestant minister Mr.. Greene is
TO claim all the Protestants of Ire
land for her depressing sister.
Rev. Mr.. Greene says further:
"Sinn Fcin is asking not for home
rule such as prevails in Canada"
hold that no sin. If the majority If
the Irish people want to govern
themselves they have the right to
ask for this; and to fight and to die
for this. And if Rev Mr. Greene
Will dip a little into Irish history he
will find that they-PrOtestants and
Catholics. ministers and priests
have passionately demanded national
life and consciousness and have paid
the supreme price when it was dc
MED. And any race of people who
so tenaciously cling 20 the ideal Of
patiOnhoOd deserve TO be free. Eng
4 Z n
world with the dust Of bigOtry, and
Rev. Mr. Greene is helping her. The
American colonies were not satisfied
with the condition of Canada. Win
Rev Mr.. Greene blame the colonies
out Of which was born the United
States? Why is it a crime for Irish
men TO try TO secure that which the
icolonists were successful in securing
Rev. Mr.. Greene gives Us the
twice-told tale that the Irish bishops
urged their people to resist con-
scription Quite so But neither was
there CONSUMPTION in Australia. and
England herself was tardy about it,
and so was Canada. Besides by
what right could England demand
that ireland conseript and still with
/ hold the liberty tnat lTels1uO dSheu
70 is a case Of quid pro quo. my
self would not relish fighting for q
nation when the only liberty tina,
nation ever gave me was the liberty
TO fight for her.
Questions His History.
we must remember" declares
Rev. Mr.. Greene with a pathos that
quickens one, that England is a
benefactOr to the world and to
America in particular" Which makes
one wonder with what history OF
America Mr.. Greene is familiar. And
as between this England. loyal &c
liberty and humanity. and Sim Fem
the proven traitor in the trying hour
of the worlds need. I say give me
England" Rev. Mr.. Greene is vel
come 70 his choice.
Elsewhere in his sermon the
preacher Of the evening told his au-
dience that Jesuit writer declared
that priests are so thick in ireland
they step on each others heels"
beg 20 assure Rev. Mr. Greene-foI
was there and I know-that hi:
Jesuit writer friend is a colossal