The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-07-25
SIM FEN AND SHANTUNG

York Times and Chicago Tribune. The
Times has so steadily supported Pres
ident Wilson that it is often styled
"the administration organ" The Tri-
bune is a stalwart republican paper,
has generally favored the Irish and
while rather pro-Ally than not, yet
showed considerable hostility to Eng
land at the beginning of the war. No
body disputes the ability of the two
papers, nor that both are strongly pro-
American. The Tribune sets forth
more deliberately what the Star has
said tersely, that for America to car
ry out the policy that de Valera and
his fellow intriguers want to wish on
us means war with England, and
while that may suit the Sim Fein we
don't think it suits any American who
cares more for his own country than
for any other The Times says:
The Chicago Tribune, a practical
minded newspaper, has dealt most
unkind blow to the lovers of liberty
who are so vocal over the plight of
Ireland, and to the idealists whose
bosoms are warmed by the fire of
righteous anger over Shantung. Ac-
cepting the Irish assertions of the i'm
portance of Irishmen in the American
revolution, the Tribune reminds us
that a Bourbon autocrat also played
some part in winning our freedom,
and continues:
"The Irish and the French helped us
achieve independence. They did it by
fighting. We say we have paid one
debt. We did it by fighting. We are
urged to pay the other. If we want to
do it, we must do it by fighting and
| spending. A great deal of money will
be required to fight Great Britain. We
had help in fighting Germany. We
shall be alone in fighting Great Brit
ain, and Great Britain has command
of the seas. Taxation is heavy now,
but it must be doubled. If it required
five loans to whip Germany, it may
require seven or eight to whip Great
Britain. Rehabilitation must be stop
ped at once, and the men who have
been discharged must be called back
to the colors. By recalling the dis
charged men and by putting the draft
into operation again we may soon re-
build an army. The new draft men
will not be ready for many months.
The British fleet is ready to convoy
transports across the Atlantic, but
our hope is that their army is not
ready. Nevertheless, we must not rely
too much upon British unreadiness. If
we interfere in the affairs of the Brit
isk Empire to establish the Irish re-
public, the British may become so ex-
lasperated as to develop an astonish-
ing amount of efficiency. They might
put an expeditionary force into Mex
leo in short order. Other expeditions
:. later may be landed at advantageous
places on our coast. We may have
our coast blockaded. The japanese
probably will think it a good time to
inquire into what we are doing in the
Philippines, in Hawaii, in Samoa and
elsewhere. 1t will be long war, and
a costly one, costly in men and money.
We have both. We need only to con-
script both. We can establish the
: Irish republic by fighting for it. We
icannot establish it by defamation,
resolutions and cable messages to
London. Are you ready for the test %
4 The Tribune thinks that the Shan
tung dose may have been hard one
for our peace delegation to swallow
cit seems to be sticking somewhere
in the esophagus, yet it may be as un-
pheasant to get it up again as to get
it all the way down." And continuing
"What are we going to do about it !?
! What do the republican senators
want to do about it? Merely withhold
American endorsement from that part
of the peace treaty? That will not
| help the Chinese much, although it
: may persuade them that we are their
friends. 1t will also persuade the Jap
arese that we are their enemies. We,
who are willing to tackle any job
anywhere, are sliding back into our
: old state of military weakness, dis
banding our army and scrapping our
equipment; but nothing restraints US
from making enemies at every turn
of the road. If we do not intend that
Japan shall have Shantung, there is
one good way to make our will effec-
tive. Go over and put her out. Are
you ready for this test?"
Germany was beaten by bayonets
and heavy artillery, not by talk. The
statesmen who are so eloquent about
the wrongs of Ireland are making en-
emies for America, but doing nothing
for Ireland. The man who will be do
; ing service to Ireland is the one who
will introduce in Congress a resolution
declaring war on the British Empire
That would suit some of the Sim Fein
leaders and some of their German and
American friends. The man who in
PRODUCES this resolution will be a real
friend to Ireland. Whether or not he
IS a friend to America is quite an
other matter; he will get the Sim
Fein vote. Who will be the first? And
will Senator Johnson be bold enough
and candid enough, putting aside all
talk about reservations, to propose
effective measures for restoring Shan
II tung to China?