Arizona republican., 1920-10-28
Where the People
 May Have a Hearing
MARTYRS AND HEROES
Phoenix, Ariz., R. l.. D. No. 6,
 nL4Dt... or 1Qon

PhOenl&, AflL- IL. t. U. NO. Q,
 October 27. 1920. The Editor. Arizona Republican, Phoe-
 nix. Ariz.
 Sir: In your editorial on the death of the lord mayor of Cork in today's issi,e of the Republican you state the conclusion will be that he may have been both martyr and suicide. In this you are undoubtedly correct The question has been sent to Rome for an answer There so varied and diver gent were the views taken regard ing it's theological aspect that 1t has been put before the congregation of cardinals. where doubtless in the course of several years decision will be rendered. Ad interim it is inter esting to note the views of that very eminent Jesuit theologian Suarez who has written on suicide. In his De Iegibus CHI, 30. ID, Suarez says: Tn the command to preserve IIe, there are two things included. One IS nega- tive and obliges always ana forever namely, the precept of not Killing one self. The other is the positive precept of doing something to preserve life, and avoid death; and this latter pre- cent does not oblige forever, but can often be disregarded, not only for the 1 observance of law. but also for the 1 good of friendship or for other honor l able actions or reasons" The matter is so clearly stated by this eminent scholar that any further comment would be presumptious. Further on you state: If the lord mayor believed that his death Wouio l further Irish freedom. he must pc classed as a martyr" On the fortletn | day of the strike MacSwiney sent his dying message to the Irish people. he rades and myself we feel singularly privileged on being made the instru- l ments of God for working such world wide expression of admiration and support for the cause of Irish in- dependence and the recognition of the Irish republic. and. if we are to die. we | are called to even the greater privilege and happiness of entering the devoted
 company of those who died for Ire
 land" Ipso facto. then, on his dying statement, you hail him martyr.
 dare say if you look over your files for the years 1917 and 1918 you
 will note that some thousand Ameri-
 can men gave their lives for the very
 sameprinciples. To see that every
 people in the world shall choose it's
 own masters and govern it's own des-
 tinies. not as we wish but as it
 wishes" (President Wilson at Yer . sailles conference). This principle
 enunciated in various ways. was the
 predominating issue in the American
 war aims. Moreover, sthis principle
 was accepted by our allies in tho days
 when one of them admittedly was
 fighting with their back to the wall
 American men gallantly died for such
 ideals in 1918. and were justly called i. heroes. Wherein lies the difference
 in 1920. when Irishmen die for the same ideals2
 Tn 1914 the world was indignant when the Hun tried to demonstrate that Belgium was not a country-bns
 a military road. Today the world Is tranquil while England demonstrates : that Ireland is not country--but a
 naval base. Were we not greatly shocked when Louvain was sacked ' [ How did the world react to the murder , of civilians. the destruction of indus 2 tries. and the raging of towns in those \ days7 On October II. 1920. Mir Ar e thur Griffith. acting president of the
 Irish republic, issued the following list , of British achievements in Ireland
 since January l. 1918: Murder of un- v armed civilians. including women and ' children. IT: towns burned and sacked { 102: armed assaults, 1904; arrests and
 imprisonments. 49s2: armed raids on : private houses, ss.72o- It is morbidly l humorous to see these events chroni- : cled in tiny dispatches each day in the
 press. 1t would seem that world nor | ality has undergone a great change . since the days of 1914 However when q a nation is made up of men like Mao 2 Swiney and the thousands of others n who have gone the same way beforx 5. him during the past TOO years, i I. should be pretty obvious to civilized s man that the mailed fist may puntsf : Ireland. but it cannot couuuer her. | l. has been long fight and perhaus |
 will continue a long time yet. but ths n heart of Ireland knows that fn the enS
 the one who can endure tho most ant Is not the ona- who inflicta <hssmost uil "a come out victorious
 70 Truly yourz.
 - FRANK CUILED4sEEDEHU