The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-28
MIR. WILSON ON IRELAND.
Is This n Metaphysical Tragedy or q
Plain Denial of Justicef

| 10 THE EDITOR OF The SUN--STs PreSl-
dent Wilson's attitude on the Irish ques-
ton is puzzling 70 many. take two
notable pronouncements Of his. worn al
most threadbare by the comment they
! have caused:
/ We are fighting for the liberty, the
/ self-government and the indicated de-
velopment OF all peoples. and every
feature Of the. settlement that con
cludes this war must be conceived and
executed for that purpose. Phrases
will not accomplish the result effective
readjustments WILL and whatever re-
adjustments are necessary must be
made. No people must be forced un-
der sovereignty under which II does
not wish to live.
This sweeping outburst was decree
absolute and unequivocal. 1t was not
merely oracular, twas mandatory. Upon
any reasonable construction the phrase
implied that. IL not himself the actual
agent in enforcing the decree. he had
| the power to see that 1t was enforced
and was determined to use that power.
| To plead that some unforeseen OBJ
struction might modify the decree so as
to admit of exceptions won't hold. The
presumption was that he knew of al!
which might be likely to stand in The
way. but was bent nevertheless upon
sweeping It aside. mo people must be
forced. 10 He was planning not merN-
ly q regional reconstruction but new
world order. Later, at Mount Vernon
two years ago. his views were no less
emphatic:
The settlement OF every question.
whether of territory. of sovereignty, of
economic arrangement or OF political
relationship, upon the free acceptance
OF that settlement by the people i'm
mediately concerned. and not upon the
basis of the material interest or ad-
vantage of any other nation or people
that may desire a different settlement
for the sake of its own exterior innu-
ence or mastery.
This SO exactly fitted her case tina.
people thought It must be Ireland he had
in mind; for few indeed can dispute that
1t In "for the sake Of her own exterior
influence and mastery" rather than for
Irelands good that England retains pos
session OF that country. Long before ne
uttered the words discomfort In ireland
was flaming. as has ever been the case !;
but those pointed phrases OF the Presi-
dent famed that flame into a confiagra-
ton.
When one eggs on defenceless man
who is battling unarmed against a
powerful neighbor, and then, too proud
| to fight" sneaks back into the house and
slams . the door, disdaining to lend a
hand despite the ssonized appeals of the
victim. there is a name for such be-
havior. In describing those Senators
who dare to oppose his League of Ma
lions as "cowards'' the President has
supplied the missing term. though IT
probably never occurred to him that he
was making objective use of a desiTna-
ton that in his particular case was a
subjective attribute wholly.
In unwilling the monument to Com
| modore Barry in Washington the Presi-
dent said:
You are weak only when you are not
true to yourself You weak only
when you are afraid to do the right.
In February of this year in the Metro
politan Opera House in this city on his
first return from Paris. despite two
months practical knowledge OF Old
World diplomatic jugglery he remained
as determined as ever:
We are ready to make the supreme
sacrifice for Righteousness by throwing
in our fortunes with the fortunes of
men everywhere.
September z in Kansas City he sa Id: d.
My fellow citizens II doesn't make
any difference what kind OF a minority
governs you IL II Is a minority. And the
thing we must to is that no mi
nority anywhere masters the ma jority.
am against the control of any
minority anywhere.
This again so clearly referred to, or
at least included, the Irish problem that
Frank Walsh, a former appointee OF his
own to the War Labor Board with for
mer President Taft put this question to
him by telegraph a week ago: Are you
in favor of applying the principle of self
determination TO Ireland"
AS the President has so far made no
reply 1t is not unfair to infer that his
plight is somewhat similar to that of the
very rich man who was obliged unwill-
ingly to listen TO a tale OF woe by
very poor man who had found the front
door open and managed to slip in I'M
swares. John" said he, summoning the
help. take this man away from here /; he
is breaking my heart"
According to THE SUNS account, Feb
ruary rs of this year. at the dinner he
save to the Foreign Relations Committee,
the President said the League of Nations
had nothing 20 do with the Irish or i'm
migration question.
Does the Senator mean to infer" sa i'd
Senator Borah. that the League has
nothing to do with it and that the mat
ter is dne which must necessarily be
se,tled hetween Ireland and Great Brit
aln?" ~fhe Senator can draw his own
conclusions" said Senator Hitchcock.
September IT this year this question
was put to him in San Francisco in be-
half OF the Labor Council: What is
your position on the subject OF self-de-
termination for Ireland?" The President
answered:
My position on the subject OF self
determination for ireland Is expressed
In Article %I. OF the covenant IN which
! may say l was particularly inter
ested, because It seemed to me neces-
sary for the peace and freedom OF the
world that a forum should be created
to which all peoples could bring ANY
matter which was likely to AFFECT the
peace and freedom OF the world.
But here again the case of Ireland
was excluded. for the President had told
the Senators In Washington a few
months earlier that the League OF Ma
lions had nothing TO do with the Irish
question" When faced with these facts
and his own rotary relationship con-