The Irish standard., 1919-08-09
By William ]. Butler, Universal STAFF
Correspondent.

By William j. Butler, Universal Staff
Correspondent.
Paris, July 30.-England's economic
control and Industrial suzerainty over
Ireland is the real issue in today's
phase of the age old struggle between
Ireland and Britain, says JohnsA. Muir
ply, of Buffalo, Irish-American COM
missioner in Paris.
Mr.. Murphy said to representa-
tive of Universal Service:
Religious and racial prejudices
are not at the bottom of it. If the
Irish could stretch out their hands to
the English on the basis of equality,
there would be no warmer friends in
the world, because they would be
bound by the closest of all, ties
mutual economic advantages.
"Such is the power of British finance
in Ireland over banks, lover rail-
road tariffs and over all other in
ternal and economic forces which
make or mar industrial activity, that
railroad tariffs are arranged SO it is
cheaper. to send goods from some
parts of Ireland to Liverpool and
back than to pay the local tariff from
point to point in Ireland over dis
tances of less than one-fifth of that
to Liverpool"
British Gain Millions.
Answering a question regarding
the British assertion that Ireland is
a heavy financial burden to Great
Britain, Mr.. Murphy said the net
gain to Britain from Ireland through
taxes, usurped profits, ETC., will total
approximately s24O,O00,OOO annually.
He proceeded to prove it saying:
"The commerce of Ireland with
Britain in 1915 amounted to approx
mately $s62,0oo,OOO, whereas the
commerce of Ireland with the rest of
the world was less than five per cent
that amount. 1t will therefore be
seen, that IS per cent of Ireland's
trade is through British hands.
ireland therefore is forced to
subject her commerce to prices set by
Britain without being able to make
a choice of markets.
"This is a disadvantage to Ireland
of at least fifteen per cent on every
dollar of trade. 1t is worth to Britain
not less than $135,0OO,OO a year.
"Fhe tax relations between Ireland
and Britain is another point in the
controversy grossly misrepresented
in British propaganda.
Irish Vastly overtaxed.
ut has been alleged that Ireland
does not pay its own way in taxes,
whereas the Childers Commission, ap-
pointed by the British government,
after two years. investigation re-
ported that in each year from the Act
of Union in 1900 to 1884 Ireland had
paid in overtaxation not less than
$15,000,000. That body recommended
readjustment of the taxation on that
basis, but reimbursement was useless.
''1n seventy years, the population
and wealth of Britain has increased
many fold; whereas of all European
nations, Ireland alone has had its
population reduced by almost fifty per
cent of what 1t was in 1845.
In the black years Of famine, when
million and a quarter Irish people
died Of starvation and fever in order
to pay the landlords back rents, more
food was exported from Ireland to
Britain than would have sustained the
entire eight and half million popula-
ton then in ireland.
Commercial Slavery.
"This is the commercial slavery
against which Ireland is now most
vehemently rebelling. She is strug-
Cling for commercial freedom, for the
privilege Of buying and selling in the
markets Of the world, wherever the
best advantage is offered, instead of
being confined as now to British mar
kets.
The recent militant Grafton Of Sir
Edward Carson at Belfast plainly re-
3vealed that Ulster takes more keenly
to heart the personal privileges It has
enjoyed than it does in the interests
Of the British Empire as whole.
IL Sir Edward had desired to sup
ply arguments in favor Of the Irish de-
mand for separation from Britain, he
could not have done better than he did
in his speech. What Ulster wants is
not maintenance OF the union with
England, but retention Of her own and
England's economic control over the
rest Of Ireland"
LONDON TIMES CORRESPONDENT
ON De VALERA MISSION.