The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-03-05
Bainbridge Colby In
 Favor Of Irish Freedom
SUCCESSOR TO LANSING QUOTED MORE THAN
 ONCE ON SHENGLISH DIFFERENCES

neer of Bainbridge Colby and have imoted the positions that he has taken 6rom time to time on important na- heRIl that in May. 1916, he was one of st31e speakers at a meeting in Carne- gie Hall to protest against the execu- kkion by England of the fifteen leaders Hpf the Easter rising in Dubin in (which Patrick Pearse proclaimed the arish Republic.
 At this meeting, held Sunday night. aEay If, the day before the beginning kOf the trial of Sir Roger Easement, kW11o was later hung for treason in at- <empdng to bring German aid to the 9rish cause, Mr. Colby made a speech 5Rh1ch the next issue of the Gaelic American called @+an tncistve denun- k1at6on of Engfish-r1le in Ireland" 1 As exported in that issue of the 4SaekD American he said in part: { T find that there is not a scintilla fuf a1Candation for the pretensions of Ecngfish authority in Ireland except Band save only such as is afforded by @n Imperfect and uncompleted con- eI11eSt I find that English rule in Ire Wand has been an exotic thing cursed %by its barrenness. It is a long record
 
 andustrfesy cynical discrimination in Legislation, corrupt justice, land ex- %eoprtafion, religious persecution, CO., erezon acts, robber taxes, packed SUrfes. Government duplicity all keouRerging in an aTowed programme Aof racial extermination.'
 ] After declaring that Ireland was aeonscious of her nationality because fshe was in fact nation, with an ori- Sgin and development different from Ahose of the English race, he con- S3inued, according to the Gaelic Amer t3can:
 seF'or centuries England has been Eendeayoring to maintain a slippery sfooting in Ireland, gained originally Eby fraud and maintained ever after sward by force. She has endeavored to Hasten upon the people of Ireland an Ealien economy and religion, alien habits of thought, standards of con x1uct and methods of administration (which have not only been inadequate jko Ireland's needs but repugnant to aher ideas and often abhorrent to her aeonscience.
 England has failed. She could but EMai1. But with a tenacity that she Mixes to think characteristic of her race she holds to an erroneous course from which she suffers only less than lner victim
 As to the legality of the British position in executing Pearse and his comrades MT. Colby is reported as saying:
 England, when she gives herself up to a series of revolting murders cannot hide behind the plea of le gality or of danger. She has adopted the most dangerous of courses, anC by her plea of legality she has called down upon herself the adverse judg ment of the world, which refuses tc be guided in it's judgment by the narrow principle of British hat. reds.''
 At another point he is quoted as declaring, 'I deny the legality ot England's course in this matter" ana referring to Stewards reply, "Thert is higher law when some one tolt Lincoln's State Secretary that slavery was lawful according to the Constitu tion.
 ''We are met here tonight" the re port of MT. Colby's speech says il closing. ''to invoke the higher law il dealing with a patriotism whose pur ity and devotion not even the oppres Sor questions"
 A full account of this speech wa mot reported in any of the New Tor Haily newspapers of the foIlowin day, but they contained only sho1 excerpts from what MT. Colby sai( Ut is entirely unlikely that full ac lacount was sent to England, so there has been nothing of this sort to ir Eduence early English comment upo the speakers recent appointment g successor to MT. LanaaaS
 Others who addressed the Carnegt sfHall meeting, at which 5000 friend sDf Ireland gathered, while 20,0O more are said to have been turne kaway, included Justice Edward
 Gavegan of the Supreme Court, V tBourke Cochran, Victor Herbert an the Rev. Francis J. Duffy, chaplain the Sixty-ninth Regiment. The sins Fing of 'Dfe Wacht am Rhein' du, ing the course of the evening W: followed by enthusiastic applaus Resolutions were passed protestir tsagainst the executions of the leade of the Irish rebellion and demandir that "in any plan of pacificatic which may be adopted to end u present war every small nation, il cluding Ireland, shall be accord, and secured The right to decide f itself the political conditions und (which it shall live and work out Gfestiny.''
 Men prominent in Irish affairs
 New York say that MT. Colby has n .at any time been connected with al of the Irish societies of the city, al has not in the last year or two b rtrayed any further public interest the course of Irish freedom.
 n A f0