Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-10-25
POTHER
Made in The. British Press About the
Moribund Home Rule
Measure.
England's Possessions Beyond the
Seas Arc secthing With
Discomfort.
Irish Republic Will Stick 1t Out
While Bakers Dozen
Live.
SHORT ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE

\ Wulldnl +. McLOugnHn, just re-
turned from four months tour of
the British Isles, France and Bel
GUM, gives a vivid picture of the
reign OF terror in Ireland today,
where without real cause people are
J being beaten, starved and jailed,
homes are invaded without warrant
and troops swarm everywhere. He
had every facility to study condi-
tfons in Ireland, and says:
1t can be truly said of Ireland that
she is, in the words of the ballad,
''the most distressful country that
ever yet was seen" But notwith-
standing it all there is an uncon-
querable spirit OF hope that will not
be suppressed by guns or under
ground dungeons This determine
ton is shown in the absolute re-
fusal to consider any advance from
England except complete freedom.
All sorts and conditions of men in
Ireland are united on that platform
except the noisy crew in few coun-
ties in the north. The elections
last winter established the popular
view on this momentous question
when seventy-three members of Par
lament were returned on the Sim
Fein ticket. The majority of these
men were selected by their constitu-
ents. None of those elected has
taken his seat in the House of Com
mons. The men chosen are drawn
from the very cream Of the popula-
ton.
1t amuses one VINO has had the
resolute spirit of Ireland impressed
on him to read the pother that is
being made in the British press
about the alleged preparations to
galvanize the moribund home rule
bill into some sort of au appealing
shape, so as to make it acceptable
to the Irish race. 1t is all wasted
energy. The Irish will spurn the
lanaemfc thing. But the dii-informed
Government goes along, according
to the London Daily Mail, getting
sits Irish policy into shape, under
pressure of recently developed cir
cumstances which surprised the
Cabinet" That newspaper says:
The law officers of the Crown
discovered after careful examination
of the suspension act-an act car
ried during the war to postpone the
operation of the home rule act
that under its terms the home rule
act becomes operative automatically
on the day the peace treaty is sign
ed by Turkey, the last belligerent
to sign. For this purpose the Gov
eminent has only six weeks, as it Is
expected that Parliament will meet
fortnight hence, so there will be
only one month of Parliamentary
time in which to carry what will be
highly controversial proposals. The
scheme has not yet been fixed defin-
itely, but the Ministers have decided
to offer Nationalist Ireland what they
describe as a very generous proposal
indeed. 1t will undoubtedly take the
form of a wide measure OF home
rule. But the pledges given to
Ulster are held as binding, and the
exclusion in all counties where us
termen predominant is contemplate
ed"
p. J. Doris. editor of the Mayo
News, whose brother, a member of
Parliament, is a political prisoner,
and who was himself held in bond
age, said in reference to the pro-
p0sal to palm off on the Irish peo-
pie the emasculated home rule bill:
THE Irish Republic, peacefully
and lawfully proclaimed, will stick
1t out as long as a bakers dozen
of lrishmen live upon the sod. There
- W. bCotih6 dDOul tnC ouSu. II Is
the spirit of the Gael today. 1t is
now but short road to independ-s
ence. The entire Catholic HER
archy and ministers of many other
creeds are back of us. There will
be no compromise"
This militant determination is not
entirely based upon the harmony at
present prevailing in the irish race
everywhere. 1t is strongly buttress-
ed by survey Of the symptoms of
unrest in many of the British domin-
ions. A well-known Dublin literary
man said to me:
"England's possessions beyond the
seas are seething with discomfort.
Developments of the world war
have had an enlightening effect on
them. Egypt has to be held in
check by force. The Beers in South
Africa are tired of their nursery
bottle government and are clamor-
ing for complete independence. In
dia's millions are awakening from
The lethargy that has held her in
slavery for two centuries. Disturb
lnces in Bombay. Lahore. Delhi and
Amritsar recently had to be sup
pressed at the point of the bayonet,
many lives being taken in the pro-
cess of enlightened pacification.
Australia is kicking over the traces.
She is figuring where she came out
In the war. She sent 100000.
OF these the tremendous total of
S07,396 were killed or wounded, the
actual number of killed being S.
O35. The Canadians are thinking
and talking on the same lines. The
Dominion lost more than 300, 1000 in
killed and wounded. running close
to Australia, with 52,700 killed or
dying of wounds
Even long sluntbering Scotland is
up in arms demanding a liberal
of home rule This move
ment has crystalized until IL Is now