Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-01-06
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ireland And The Irish.

| Omaha, Jan. 40 the Editor
of The Bee: l have read with
some patience but more amuse-
ment the epistolary interchange
/ being carried on over Ireland by sew
eral of your correspondents. While
/ | admit, with Sancho Panza, that
( lit is a waste of lather to shave
an ass" the Celtic blood in me
leaps at the opportunity for en-
gaging in such a lovely row.
Especially are "Aitth" and Mich
ael O'Connor shooting beside the
mark. Each seems animated more
by partisanship than by desire to
get at the real facts; however,
"Aitch' is nearer than he knows,
while Mr.. O'Connor is unfortu-
nate in his comparisons, at least
| When he sets Carson and Easement
alongside each other, he merely puts
an emphasis on the point against
Ireland. Carson was in contumacy,
but not against British rule: he
sought solely to preserve the union
of Ireland with Great Britain. When
the war with Germany adjourned
the dispute, the UlstermeD marched
away to France to fight alongside
their Catholic brothers. Then Case
ment, acting for the Sim Fein, set
about his conspiracy with Germany,
and sought to inf1ame an insurrec-
ton, not especially to free Ireland.
but to aid the kaiser. Easement,
a knight Of the realm and former
gallant soldier, paid the penalty for
treason. Carson was actuated by a
desire to preserve the union Case
ment sought to disrupt. If an ex-
ample of England's justice and
magnanimity were needed, it is at
forded in the case of Lynch, con-
demned to death for his part in the
BOer war. He was elected to Par
Lament by an Irish constituency
while fugitive in France; England
permitted him to come home, take
his seat in Commons, and when con-
scription was ordered for Ireland he
sought to counteract the edict by
!! urging voluntary enlistments dur
ing the late war. What Irish
man will question Lynch's devotion
to Ireland or the cause of free
dom?
The Redmonds and the billions
surely are as concerned for Ireland
as the Devoys or the Fords;
one Redmond fell in Flanders, and
his body was brought back for bur-
ial by the Orangemen from Ul-
ster, who had fought by his side
Dillon opposed CONSUMPTION, as did
Redmond, but they both urged the
Irish to enlist and render conscrip-
ton unnecessary. For this Dillon is
rewarded by having his seat given
to Prof. De Valera (what name
for Dublin IrishmanD who was
noted as a scientific socialist" be-
fore he espoused Sim Fein.
AS to Irish firesides, C'Connor is
again entitled to look up the facts.
More peasants in Ireland own their
holdings than in either England or
Scotland; in fact, not such a great
while ago talk was rife of a revolt
among the crofters Of Scotland, who
asked to be treated as we'll as the
Irish peasants. Rack-rent and the
like have practically vanished from
Ireland, although a most recent
case of eviction is one reported from
Dublin court. where a relative of
Charles Stuart Parnell sought to GUST
a delinquent tenant from the family
estate. Board of Trade figures show
Ireland to be more prosperous than
ever in it's history; Sir Horace Punk
EFT has said the situation of the
Irish farmers compares favorably
with that of any in the world. The
shipyards and other factories of Bel
fast are fully employed and are pay
ing well, and everybody seems to be
happy but the Sim Feiners, who are
hunting trouble.
My guess Is that England will give
Ireland home ruler in time, but will
not consent to disunion; nor is it
probable the question will be
brought forward seriously at YER
sailles. In the meantime, the dis
pute will be eagerly pursued by those
who, in the term borrowed by Jerry
Howard from John F'inerty, are Gin
visible in war and invincible in
peace" MACK.