The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-03-22

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Of the Irish Question. it is equally true
that the same demand is here and now
not only friendly act towards Great
Britain but is the imperative duty OF
our representatives at Paris. Such a
demand could offend only the ignor-
ant and the blind. It would meet the
approval Of the people of this country
and thu. approval Of the Democracy
OF Great Britain whose representatives
in the House Of Commons passed the
Home Rule Bill three times, the last
time by q majority Of seventy-seven
members. No one at this stage Of the
controversy win be heard to say that
1t would offend the legitimate sensi-
Rtiveness of the British statesmen who
drew or approved Article XI. The good
understanding between these two
great peoples is in peril and it can be
preserved and continued only by the
immediate and satisfactory adjustment
of this dispute.
The Irish question is no longer q
domestic question, it is an internation-
al question and the most serious and
dangerous one that confronts the
Peace Congress. No true American
who is able to read the public opinion
of this country is justified on namby-
PANTY grounds Of mawkish sentiment
or assumption of superior intelligence
in objecti1g to the full discussion of
this question at the peace table. And
am willing to go beyond this. The
T, people of America are Overwhelming
ly in favor of League of Nations
based substantially on the lines al
ready laid down by President Wilson
but the greatest danger to their eff
fectively supporting him lies in the
refusal of the Peace Conference to
consider this question. The most dang
erous blow that could be given to the
cause of worldwide peace would be
to strike in the face that mighty moral
force in this country which today de-
mands the final adjudication Of this
controversy now and forever.
"a Domestic Question"
So far as I have been able to dis
cover,-and have discussed this ques-
ton personally and by correspondence
with people from all over Minnesota,
representing. the various religions and
nativities,-the only objection urged
to the consideration of Home Rule at
the Peace Conference is that it is a
domestic question" Ny answer is
that it is just the kind of domestic
question that Article XII puts within
the jurisdiction of the Peace Confer
ence. It is to meet this objection that
Article XII was written. In reality it is
q domestic question only in the sense
that It applies In the first instance and
directly to the people of Ireland. But
there are many domestic questions
that the League Constitution has inter-
Mathematical. An important instance
of this is the contemplated interna-
liberalization of labor and the creation
of q tribunal which TOT very appreci-
able extents;wi regulate and control
conditions of labor in every country Of
the world. The fact that the labor Of
American workmen will be primarily a
domestic problem will not prevent it's
being subject to the Jurisdiction Of the
League Of Nations. It is the very
purpose of the League Of Nations to
SO treat questions which are primarily
domestic that they will not endanger
the peace Of the world or "the good
understanding upon which peace de-
ponds" l realize that the phrase 80
domestic question is used by many of
our fellow citizens who are honest and
sincere but who have not given the
proper thought or study to the sub
|ject. These persons forget that we are
living in q new world and that during
1.-THE past four months the world has
advanced four centuries Judged by its
previous standard Of progress. They
are talking in dead language. 1he
old barriers Of international law and
Of international artificial etiquette
have been leveled and the nations Of
the world are entering this new
League with their eyes open and with
q deliberate intention Of surrendering
. large part Of the privileges and
claims which they formerly advanced.
The very purpose Of the League 81
Nations is to place many domestic
questions within the jurisdiction Of the
lnew tribunal. The nations OF the
world are In substantially the same
position today that the American Col.
oniess were when they were discussing
]. the formation of this Government and
!, the adoption OF the Federal Constitu.
ton and when they realized that the
1 Colonies must give up control Of many
\ domestic matters for the sake 81 the
x common good and N rlIi1ar IN fnr,yi