The Washington herald., 1920-11-05

DEFENDS IRISH
Famous Overseas Chaplain
Answers Propaganda
Of British.
By RAYMOND G. CARROLL.

NEW YORK. Nov. Father
Duffy went TO France with the
American Expeditionary Forces. He
was chaplain of the Sixty-ninth
Regiment OF New York City that
lost ga killed and 1000 wounded
in the nine battles it participated
in overseas. The French govern
ment honors Father Duffy with the
Croix de Guerre and the Legion of
Honor decorations. He has received
the Distinguished Service Cross and
the Distinguished Service Medal
from the American government To
know Father Duffy is to love him.
This morning / was walking in
East Twenty ninth street when the
roll of drums heralded the approach
of a marching column of soldiers.
They were coming up lexington
avenue, and at their head was Lieut..
Col. A. s. Anderson, who commanded
battalion of the SiXty-ninth in
France. and Father Duffy. l stood
at the curb as they swung east into
I Twenty ninth street, returned
Father Duny's salute. and followed
the military at the middle OF the
block into st. STEPHENS Church,
where mass was being said for the
soul of Lord Mayor Terence Mac
Swiney Of Cork.
Free From Excitement.
! Duffy made a few remarks which
were so free from excitement and
denunciation that decided he was
man of national renown we'll
/ worth chatting with upon the sub
Ject of Ireland. We met in the sac
risty. and Father Duffy proposed
that I await him at the Sixty-ninjh
Regiment Armory. and journey up
/ to the Bronx with him in his auto
mobile for luncheon. Father Duffy
is pastcr of the Church of Our Saw
ior. with his rectory at 23I7 Wash
ington avenue.
"The status of the Irish question
has changed greatly within the
year, he remarked in answer to my
inquiry as his automobile sped over
the pavements half an hour later.
There are an increasing number Of
Americans and British. too, who are
beginning to ask: why not% The
English government has evidently
failed in Ireland. Now don't ask me
to drag up the past. The question
Is present one. The English have
, been there 700 years and today the
people are more unanimously against
their government than at any time
before.
Brftish Have Failed.
The British government func-
tons with the aid of tanks. rifles
and machine guns, and at that only
within radius of their ammunition.
Four-hfths of the Irish people op-
pose them. including men and wom-
en- OF all classes. The Irish have a
republican parliament. army forts
and tax system.
Most Americans feel that when
any government fails SO utterly as
the British have done in Ireland II
is high time for them to quit. Our
Declaration of Independence could
be applied almost word for word to
Ireland. There has been a course
OF human events in Ireland which
Justifies similar action to that taken
cock.
Parallel shown.
Another parallel that impresses
Americans is that these Irishmen
are trying to establish a republic
JUST ike ours. There is nothing
Doishevist about IL. Their ideas on
NE and properly. religious tolers-
tion' Law and Justice are exactly in
line with our own institutions, In
tnls they diffcr from most Of the
new republics that have been started
in Europe.
SO the question comes why not
let them form their own govern
mentT Belgium parted from Hol-
Lsna ninety years ago with slight
protest and they have been friends
ever since. It Is only recently tina,
sweden allowed Norway to 60 her
way OF pesce. We gave up Cuba
without a murrnur, and would be
glad to part with the Philippines as
soon as they can stand on their own
sIt a p>rhaps the ,.a,~>.. - y..-