Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-08-01

righteous anger over Shantung. AC-
cepting the Irish assertions of the
importance Of Irishmen in the Am
eriCan Revolution, The Tribune re-
minds 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 il by fight
ing. We are urged TO pay the 9th
er. If we want to do it, we must do
it by fighting and spending.
A great deal of money will be re-
Quircd TO fight Great Britain. We
had help in fighting Germany. We
shall be alone in fighting Great Bri-
tain. and Great Britain has COM
mand of the seas. Taxation is heavy
now. but it must be doubled. If it
required five loans to whip Ger
many, it may require seven or eight
to whip Great Britain.
Decentralization must be stopped
at once, and the men who have been
discharged must be called back to
colors. BY recalling the discharg
ed men and by putting the draft
into operation again we may soon
men will not be ready for many
months. The British fleet is ready
to convoy transports across the At
lantic, but our hope is that their
army is not ready. Nevertheless,
we must not rely too much upon
British unreadiness. If we inter
fcre in the affairs of the British En-
pire to establish the Irish Republic,
the British may become so exaspcr-
ated as to develop an astonishing
amount of efficiency. They might
put an eXpeditionary force into
Mexico in short order. Other cX-
petitions later may be landed at
advantageous places on our coast
We may have our coast blockaded.
The Japanese probably will think
ii is good time to inquire into
what we are doing in the Philip
pines, in Hawaii, in Samoa, and
elsewhere.
1t will be long war, and a cost
ly one, costly in men and money.
We have both. We need only TO
conscript both. We can establish
the Irish Republic by fighting for
it. We cannat establish it by de-
clamation, resolutions, and cable
messages to London.
Are you ready for the test?
The Tribune thinks that the Shan
tung dose may have been a hard
one for our peace delegation TO
swallow-''it seems TO be sticking
somewhere in the csophagus, yet
lit may be as unpleasant TO get ii
up again as to get it all the-way
"down.' And continuing:
What are we going to do about it?
What do the Rebuplican Senator'S
want to do about it? Merely with
hold American Endorsement from
that part of the Peace Treaty? That
will not help the Chinese much, al
though it may persuade them that
we are their friends. 1t will also
persuade the Japanese that we are
their enemies.
We, who are willing to tackle any
job anywhere, are sliding back in
to our old state Of military weak
ness. disbanding our army and
scrapping our equipments; but Moth
ing Restraints us from making enc
mics 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 effcc-
tive. Go over and put her out. Are
YOU ready for this test?
Germany was beaten by bayorcts
and heavy artillery, not by talk. The
statesmen who are so eloquent
about the wrongs of Ireland are
making enemies for America, but
doing nothing for Ireland. The
man who will be doing a service TO
ireland is the one who will intro
duce in Congress a resolution de-
claring war on the British Empire.
That would suit some of the Sim
Eein leaders and some of their Ger
man and American friends. The
man who introduces this resolution
will be real friend TO Ireland.
Whether or not he is friend to
America is quite another matter:
be will get the Sinr 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 eff
fective measures for restoring
Shantung to China?