The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-01-25
(By Rev. NJ. Kenny, S. j.
Professor of Jurisprudence at Layola
University, New Orleans, La.

-
University, New Orleans, La.
President Wilson has gone to Eur
ope with the declared resolve to real
ize the pre-announced objects for
which we entered, fought, and won the
war, namely: For the ultimate peace
of the world, and for the liberation of
its peoples;" ''for the rights of ma
lions, great and small, and the privi-
lege of men everywhere to choose their
own way of life and obedience;" for
the reign of law based upon the con-
sent of the governed;" for the rights
and liberties of small nations" "for
affording material guarantees of politi-
cal and territorial independence for
great and small nations alike" Thus
must the world be made safe for
democracy" including mot only the
peoples actually engaged but many
others also who suffer under mastery
but cannot act;" those "nationalities
which lacked the force to make good
their claim to determine their own al.
legiance."
Summing up these aims, our Presi.
dent asked: "Shall the military pow-
ers of any nation, or group of nations,
be suffered to determine the fortunes
of peoples over whom they have no
right to rule except the right of force?
= Shall the strong do as they will
and the weak suffer without redress?'
Our people responded to this appeal
with unity of purpose and magnan-
unity of sacrifice that quickly trans
formed millions of peaceful citizens
into seasoned warriors, procured their
safe transport across continents and
oceans, and forced triumphant armies
into absolute surrender. The first
European land our armies sighted was
a small nation" to which the aims
and principles for which they have
traversed and fought and Travelled
pre-eminently applies.
Historical Integrity.
Ireland is nation, outranking all
existent nations in historical and in
tegral continuity. Ireland had written
laws, well-defined government, litera.
ture, music, an educational system.
and an elaborate social structure
when Caesar was conquering the rude
tribes of Gauls, Britain and Germany,
and centuries before Goth, Hun, Van
dial, Saxon, Frank, Morse and other
mainly Teutonic hordes upset Roman
civilization and put modern nations in
the melting pot. Ireland was the only
European nation that repealed and
subdued such invaders, and she alone,
on her prompt and peaceful accept
ance of Christianity, preserved classic
and Christian literature. Her schools
became the asylum, and the nurse of
European scholarship, and her mis-
sionaries and teachers, in evangelizing
the savage peoples of Great Britain
and the Continent, and founding every
where, from Tay to Thames, from Bis
cay to the Baltic, on Alps and Appe-
mines, by Rhone and Rhine, fruitful
schools of arts and varied learning.
were potent factors in the founding of
modern civilization. Thus was Ireland
a thousand years nation, civilized
and civilizing, before the Normans
conquered and feudalized England:
before the Teutonic Knights german.
lied Prussia and their defeat at Grune-
valid established the Polish Common
wealth; before Spain and Portugal
sh ook off the Moslem yoke; before
Holland, or Belgium, or Italian munic-
qualities dreamed of national aspira-
lions, and before Magyar, Bulgar,
Czech or Serb could spell their names
or recognize their nations entity.
The Oldest Nation.
Ireland is not only the oldest nation,
she is also the longest oppressed
Seven and half centuries ago, an au-
tocratic despot, the sacreligious mur-
derer of st. Thomas Beckett, in I'M
provoked aggression, invaded Ireland,
on the sole pretext of promoting her
piety. This hypocrisy of motive has
beer since maintained, assuming TO-
day the form of protection of small
nations" Henry the Seconds success
sors, aiming like him to exploit Ire
lands commerce and assets and lib.
critics for England's interests, ruth
lessly continued the subjugation of