Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1920-12-17
AMERICA IRELAND'S FRIEND
(By John Bush.)

name; every prison more llluSCflOuS
abode; every burned book or home
enlightens the world; every suppress
sed or expunged word reverberates
through the earth from side to side.
"The minds of men are at last
aroused, reason looks out and justiies
her own, and malice finds all her
work ruin. 1t is the whipper who is
whipped and the tyrant who is un-
done. Emerson.
America is Ireland's friend. Her
people are drawn, millions strong,
from Ireland's own fair country sides.
She is linked in blood, as we'll as in
affection, with the Irish people. Such
ties can never be broken.
The time is opportune that America
take action against England's op-
preston. That action should be based
upon our own duty, our character
and our interests as one of the free
States of the world; and our obliga-
ton toward those great principles
which have hitherto maintained the
relative independence of nations and
which have more especially made
America what she is.
1t has been the policy of our gov
eminent, from the beginning, to ex-
press sympathy with the people of
the world in their struggle for liberty
and the realization of American ideals
of government. There are two ways
of ending dispute-discussion and
force-the latter maner is simply
that of brute beasts, the former is
proper for beings gifted with reason;
it is permitted, then, to recur to
violence only when reason is power
les. 1t is the former that the Ameri-
can friends of Irish freedom are
striving to animate.
There can be no relief for human
suffering except veracity of thought
and optimism honest enough to face
things as they are. The people who
are afraid of open discussion and at
tempt to suppress opinions contrary
to their own, reveal thereby an utter
lack of faith in the worth of their
own opinions. They are lacking both
in courage and patriotism. They are
out of harmony with American ideals.
Freedom of thought we all have,
of course. No one can interfere with
1t. Any person can think what he or
she pleases. But freedom of thought
has very little value unless there is
also freedom in expression.
Discussion puts a premium on in
telligence, liberates a community
from useless customs, puts a check
on nasty action, secures united ap-
proval for measures proposed, creates
spirit of tolerance, promotes CO.
operation and, best and hardest of
all, equips citizens with the ability
to differ in opinion without differing
IN feeling. "The great impeachment
to action in our opinion" said Per-
lcles, "is not discussion, but the want
OF that knowledge which is gained by
discussion, preparatory to action
NO proposal should be- condemned be-
cause it is new, nor accepted because
1T is old, but considered on it's merits
The American Federation of Labor
at its last convention in Montreal
after giving the Irish question thor
ough consideration, unanimously
adopted the following resolutions:
RESOLVED, That the American
Federation of Labor, in Convention
assembled, confirms it's recognition OF
the Irish Republic, and respectfully
requests that the military forces OF
occupation in Ireland be withdrawn
from that country, and that the Irish
people be accorded the right of self
determination, the same as all othe,
nations recently given their complete
freedom, as enunciated in the decla-
rations of the President of the United
States, comprising the fourteen
points, all of which were solemnly
agreed to by the British Government
and its allies in the recent World
War, and that we tender our aid to
the people of Ireland in their efforts
for freedom, to the end that Ireland
be permitted to take it's place amonp