The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-03-22
THE IRISH STANDARD
Duty and Opportunity Of the Present Hour

eSent F1Our
toned are willing to internationalize
the Irish Question as they have al
ready done, why should anybody on
this side of the Atlantic rush to pro-
tect them against their own decision?
1t seems to me that British statesmen
should be left to be the guardians Of
their own constituencies and that Amer
leans who volunteer to protect them
are In the position of those German
sympathisers In this country who We
hemently denied that the German
Government had ANYTHING to do with
the sinking Of the Lusitania only to
discover later on that 1t was engin.
eered by Won Bernstogn. that the Ger
man submarine commander was es-
pecially honored by the Kaiser for his
murderous deed and that at the order
OF the Kaiser commemorative medal
dated the day before the sinking was
struck on for circulation.
As matter Of fact, the so.called
Irish Question has for a hundred years
been, an American question: Twice
during the lives of men who are now
living the generosity and money of
the American people in time of fam
inc have been poured out upon the
people Of Ireland and no British
statesman objected to the aid on the
ground that starvation was domestic
question. For more than hundred
years there has gone steady stream
of gold from the United States to Ire
land, sent there by American citizens
of Irish descent and no British states
man has ever tried to stop the golden
stream. And finally, any student
knows that in the history of England
domestic questions have not always
been considered sacred and immune.
There Is principle of International
law that justifies interference by out.
side nations in the domestic affairs
of a country where such interference
is demanded by humanity. In 1927
Great Britain, France and Russia
sent an army and a fleet to, protect
the Christians Of Greece, at that time
an integral part Of the Turkish Gov
eminent, against Turkish barbarity
and they ceased their interference on
~, when by force of arms they tore
Greece from Turkey and established
Greece as separate and Independent
nation. And today one Of the most
majestic figures at the peace table is
the Grecian Premier Venezelos who
would today be Turkish subject il
these three Great Powers had not in.
terfered in a domestic question nearly
q century ago.
The Irish In the War. #
We may as well frankly admit that
large and influential number of
Americans believe that the Irish PEG:
pie IN Ireland did not do their full
share in furnishing soldiers to fight
Germany and for this reason are eth
|er lukewarm or hostile towards Home
Rule. It is well enough also to admit
that it has been difficult to satisfac-
torily answer this charge, but informa-
ton now at hand utterly disproves it.
n do not purpose at this time to ex-
plain the opposition Of the Irish PEG.
pie to conscription although it Is my
opinion that they were amply justi-
fed In the position which they took;
that discussion may be left more suit
ably for other occasions. do claim
that the figures which are now seeping
through the channels OF communities
ton show that the people Of Ireland
In the recent crisis sustained their rec
|ord FOR being foremost in every strug-
|gle against tyranny and oppression. I
|call your attention to the following
telegram sent out by the Associated
Press from London, March 10, which
haze clipped from st. Raul daily
paper Of Monday. March 10, 1913: 3
sIrish OFFICERS, War Veterans, Ask
King 0eorue to Submit Home Rule
% tho Peace Conference.
(By Associated Press.)
London, March 10.A petition has
been submitted to King George, signed
!. - <AR Ir..,.., q,