The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-17

the government was compelled 10 SEND
and rescue him. He was itching for
fight with the police and eager for ar
rest and Inariyrdnm. The policeman
Lamb by name, unwilling 10 gralify
the militant speaker, proceeded 10
"shoo" away the crowd. "DiSpcrsc. dis
pcrsc." he cried. waving his long arms
MS he made PUSHES al the natives. Like
water and the broom Of Mrs. Darlington.
the Bengalrc babus fell back only to
surge in around and behind the shout
ing. gcsticulatng officer. while above
tho racket rose the voice Of tho preacher
laundering defiance and daring the limp
OF the law TO arrest him. BY this time
Lamb was getting wrathy.s His Ian
guagc and manner bclird his namc. IN
one Of his rushrs he came 10 very
stout babu. loft standing alon" by tho
rctrcating crowd. "DiSpcrSe, dispcrs".
cried Lamb. How can dispense,
Sahib. bIantlly replied the howing and
smiling native. But the joke was lost
on the majesty OF the law. Tho fun
was ours. While this opera bouffe was
being performed for npr benefit. NOR"
tragiv scene was being enacted in other
parts Of tho city. The new order of the
police commissioner had brought from
their retirement five Of the most dis
,inguished clcrgymcn Of the city, ready
10 challenge the right Of the police To
invade tho sacred privilege of free
speech. dear TO all Englishmbcn. The
five learned dlyin"s wcr" placed undrr
arrest. This was not comedy. but trag-
cdy. Five ancient, and venerable clergy
men were In, I should say. ION the
hands" Of the police commissioner who
~ had fiIF0 WI 4 n
elephants What 10 do with them was
tho question. You arc doubtless famil-
lar with the story Of the trial Of the
seven bishops, a cause cclcbrC in the
days Of the Stuarts. ono of the famnu,
trials of English history, n story clo-
quently told by the gifted Lord Macan
lay. We were treated 10 another such
spectacular trial in the high court Of
CalcuttS though on a more modest
stage and alas with no Macaulay 10 cm
balm it In matchless prose. The trial
was pure tragedy to the police commits
sioncr and ended in another vindicatlon
OF the right Of free speech wherever
the Union Jack may float.
Now comes the application Of my tale.
The moral to my parable may furnish
the key to tho mystery OF the British
hold upon tho fcalty of her colonist.
The right Of free speech, a square deal
and a fair trial before ones peers arc
rights accorded to every man without
distinction as to class, creed or color
who lives under the folds of tho flag of
Britain. 4 striking fact connected with
the trial of those five distinguished
clcrgymen in Calcutta away back in
the eight lest Of last century, was that
they appeared without protest before a
bench Of five bcwiGgcd and gowncd
Judges. three of whom were men or
color, two white. Two were Hindus, two
British, ono Moslcm. Before this mixed
bench Of judges five of the loading
white citizens of Calcutta were tried be-
cause they dared claim the privilege or
Tree speech in India guaranteed TO
every British subject so long as he All
stained from treason. That was Il
strange scene 10 Eirgininn. I HAD
ncvcr witnessed such "a demonstration
Of the principles Of our Declaration OF
Independence under the stars and
stripes. What is commonplace in the
colonies Of France and England Ger
man could not comprehend. Be it SAID
to our shame that Americans arc no,
abreast Of their allies in their practical
application OF the ideals Of Liberty
Equality. Fraternity rs SympollzHd ny
Tho banner of America Once only did
Britain made tho fatal hlunder of deny
ing to her cnluniStS a square deal. But
that Was when sh" had Il stupid German
! king on her throne. Like IInglishmctt
her Hindu subjects avail themselves or
the right 10 grumhlc But when il comes
10 exchanging British for Hunnish rue
they decline with fusillad"s OF bombs
and bonds.
After all III" miracle Of India's devo-
ton with her 100000 Moslrms 10
Great Britn!n is only the working out OF
the natural law in the moral world
stated hy ST. l'aul that "Whatsoevcr 4
man sowrth that shall he also reap.
PrusSia'S greatest monarch once said.
That prince is lost who cunfcsScs him
self Christian While Germany rcaps
the whirlwind from her sowing let US
heed ,IuliRn'S confession. 20 NaZarinc
again Thou hast conquered"