New-York tribune., 1919-08-01


lover, We've both of US been foolish
nearly hated you once and nearly gave Won,
kiss to q tenor"
George Creel, the former whitewash mar
is the author of "Ireland's Fight for Free
dom" (Harper's), and in many respects hs
has done surprisingly good job. His book
is marked by a conciseness and Conference
that were not always evident in his work
for the Committee on Public Information.
Possibly the book is distinguished by no
profound scholarship, but it is interesting
because it covers the ground with shrewd
proportoning of attention 20 the various
facts necessary for a consideration of the
case of Ireland.
Creel favors complete independence for
the Irish. and has little patience with anv
other suggested solution Of the problem.
He is, perhaps, partisan at times. but il ia
hard to see how even the most neutral oh-
server can acquit England Of bunglirp. AZ
the very best, in her handling of the Irish
problem. There are few politicians in any
English party who would care to point with
pride to the empires policies in ireland "a
models of sagacity. A most, the defence
would be that the problems were difficult.
Although we are inclined to agree very
largely with the Indictment which Creel
draws, think not a few Of the criticisms
which he makes might come with better
grace from some other man. He comments
bitterly, for instance, on the fact that dur
ing the war England denied the right Of
free speech in Ireland Free speech and
and women were thrown Into Jail for the
most trivial offences, the right to assemble
was denied, and deportauons became COM
mon.'
Here in America during the war Mr.
Creel, as head of the Committee on Public
1nformat alton, sent out broadcast advertise
ments in which American citizens were in
vited to Watch your neighbor-' and to
report to the Department of Justice even
the most casual remarks which seemed to
them seditious. Among the advice as we
remember IT, was the injunction Report
the man who cries for peace There are
few men in America less qualified to make
a free speech fight than George Creel.
"Ireland's Fight for Freedom is COM
paratvely free from the frils of style
which are present in some Of the other
work of Creel. 1t is much simpler. for
instance, than "The Autobiography of Jess
Willard" which has sometimes been at
trbuted to Creel. Warp and woofr comes
in once, and there is a tendency to speak OF
things being "buiided' and to write Game
the Henrys" Mr.. Creel also writes lover"
when he means more than, but for the most
part the English is direct and vigorous il
not always graceful.
One reference in the book puzzled us.
Creel speaks of "Presidenr Wilson'S well
known sympathy with Ireland's cause" We
wonder ii Cohalan has heard about it. We
have a feeling that Mr.. Wilson's sympathv.
although highly ornamental may also be a
little fragile. We haven't doubt. for in
stance, that President Wilson expressed a
profound sympathy with the Chinese dele
gates when they protested against the Shan
tung deal.
There was once Wall Street broker who
fell upon mishsps and became so reduced
in circumstances that he was forced to be-
).
One day a friend of his prosperous DAYS
came upon him and expressed the utmost
surprise at his low estate
"My dear fellow" he said, I'm awfuly
sorry to see that you've come to this I'm
terribly sorry. You may be sure you have
my deepest sympathy"
Damn your sympathy said the pedler
Buy pie"
The artist who drew the striking jaeke.
for the Crecl beck is Give Weed, and net
Olive West, set down by the ovidian
compostor.
The most complete casualty of the war is
free speech. All along the line from con-
servative to Bolshevist things have gone
Ill with 1t in these last rew years. The
suppression of free speech, indeed. seems
to be the one common meeting ground Of
every shade Of political opinion William
l. Hornaday, who may rairy be set down
as conservative, we think, writes in his
essay, "The Lying Lure of Bolshevism," Of
the fatal fetch worship of the 'free-speech'
IDOL Bella Kun of Hungary. who may
fairly be set down as radical probably
has not one single opinion in common with
Mr.. Hornaday except a contempt for free
speech. In an interview with Crystal East
man IN the current "Liberator" he is quoted
as saying: I'VE do not practise general sup
preston of free speech and free press at
all" and then he adds naively, we only
suppress bourgeois papers having decided
counter revolutionary intentons' He ex-
plains, 1--WE are not doing this because we
are afraid Of them. but because we want
in this way to obviate the necessity of sup
pressing counter revolution by force of
arms" Just if that were not similar TO