The Irish standard., 1919-11-15

sendlng information to Germany! Edward ShOrtt
proclaimed similar plots and tailed to suDstantlate
IN the slightest measure ms claim, though he has
Deen chanenged to and taunted tor failure.
froclalmng German plots IN ireland not new
occupation, sir. We now now respectfully ask you
to prove your CLAIMS. For you must know. You
say that you do. You say: 1T was no secret" II
1t was no secret, from whence your intorma-
tlon! was 1T from Captain Evans, H. ~, who was
detailed by the British Admiralty to act as llason
othcer with the American tlotllla or from Vice
Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly, also of the British Navy,
who actually had command OF the United States De-
stroyer Flotlla IN Irish waters! If your information
came from them, Admiral Sims, it must be plain to
you that 1T came from polluted source But,
whether the source reliable or not give us the
information you claim to possess.
H. Again, you say: The behavior of the Amer
lean sailors good" 1t is not for us, Admiral
Sims, to question the behavior of American sailors
IN port. We know them. They are among our
friends. The Irish National Bureau, speaking tor
nllllons OF American citizens, speaks tor many OF
the men who served under you. They in our
organizations; they have contributed their dollars to
lreand's cause; they ride today with De Valera
But the word good" Admiral Sims, is compare
tive term. Certainly our boys were no better in
ireland than they were at home. And we beg to cali
to your attention that here in America, wherever
large bodies of sailor boys were assembled, 1t
was found necessary to maintain armed navy police
patrols to restrain that small percentage to whom
liberty" sometimes meant license. This, as the
attack upon the American Navy. 1t is merely cold
statement of fact. Street lighting was not confined
Admiral Sims, to the city OF Cork, as you certainly
must know Our boys in serious affrays in
France and in England and in Scotland and at home.
VI course their conduct good. No American
will question that statement But the term must be
used in general way. You do not mean sir that
every man under you was impeccable. You yourself
say that they taunted the Irlshmen they in the
streets of Cork. Possibly you consider that good
R11tC
taunts-and question how much taunting there
was-certainly would have been calculated to rouse
those against whom they were directed Such
taunts may have led to fights. But certainly there
was no pro-Germanism there.
And the eternal woman question also played its
part, you say. In that you are right "Our men, -
you go on had much more money than the native
Irish boys and could entertain the girls avishly
that is amusing "lavishly"'a at movies
and ice-cream stands!' How much money would it
take to entertain 'lavishy at movies and ice-cream
stands" may ask? If the American boys limited
penses in Cork could not have sadly depleted their
funds nor could its glamor, as you charge, have
tempted the girls to desert their former beaux
But again you unthinking, Admiral Sims, in
suggesting that underpaid sailors had more money
to spend than civilians. On this point, it would
seem, further comment is unnecessary.
Now, the truth, sir, is that American boys did
have more money to spend than the sailors of the
English ships, and the English soldiers who were in
Cork all through the war; and therein lies the truth
regarding most of the trouble, which you have
greatly exaggerated We ask you to verify for your
self the following:
Practically all of the early trouble in Cork in
which our American sailors involved was
trouble between them and the English sailors
Practically all of this early trouble originated and
took place in or around public houses, where drink
ing had been ndulged in.
What you stated, without reason, as to the situa-
hoS
English. Our boys, having more money than the
English, did rival with them and did take away from
them some of the women of the town.
Now. let us say just few words in passing about
some of those self-same young women. Or, after all
need we say anything? You yourself sir, give testi
ony to their character when you say that after the
city of Cork declared out of bounds these girls
went down by train to Queenstown to be enter
tanned.
Now, sir, is that common proceeding among the
well-bred young women of community? Would
any upright father or mother allow daughter to
make ten-mile railroad trip to busy naval base
unaccompanied for the purpose of spending eve
ning-you yourself, Admiral Sims, say that they
spent the evenngs-with crowd of sailors, even
American sailors, who, on the whole, but not to a
man, represented high moral tone? And we say
to you sir, that, had you been present when those
late evening trains and early morning trains pulled
out of Queenstown and arrived at Cork, you would
have better understanding today as to whether
those young women were the daughters of respect
able Sim Fein townsmen of Cork or were, many OF
them strangers to the city and to Ireland The Irish
National Bureau is not speaking of ALL There were
of course, hundreds of young women who went from
the American boys at Queenstown; but those, Ad-
ra Sims were NOT If the tvne around WHOM, street