New-York tribune., 1920-04-19
Let Ireland
Decide, British
Paper Pleads
sThe New Statesman" De-
cares Erin Itself Will Be
the Final Arbiter of In
dependence or Union N
Says People Will Rule
Urges Concession and Con-
citation to Replace Pres
ent Military Coercion

From Tse lrtoures Exropcdn Bureau
tCcpcr1ght. 1890 New York Tribune Inc
LONDON. April 1s.--For the first
tine in history reputable -parti-
san English periodical to-day put be-
fore its readers the possibility of
Ireland's becoming republic "The
New Statesman" says in part:
"The final decssion as to whether
Ireland is or is not to remain a part
Of the British Empire rests, in fact,
whether we Ike it or not with the
irish people. ahd the sooner we dis
card the Illusion that it rests with US
he more likely we will be to avert what
most OF US regard as a catastrophe.
IF lreland's desire for republican in
dependence is sufficiently deep and
persisten., then beyond all question
tlnue the present tactics a sufficiently
long time and she will force a with
crawal of British power over her.
so long as English statesmen re-
fuse 10 face the facts and, while con-
tinuing their policy IF military coer-
eion. insult and provoke the Irish peo-
pie by such proposals as those en-
bodied in the bill now in Parliament.
.ae only result will be an extension of
the chaos and anarchy in Ireland and
an ever increasing determination on
the part Of the Irish people to reject
oil half measures and TO win by main
taining their iHsistence on absolute
separation and independence.
Says Crisis Needs Courage
I'VE do not for minute believe
that the Irish problem is insoluble or
that it is impossible to retain Ireland
within -he British empire of her own
free VIII. The hatred of Englishmen
that exists in Ireland is in one sense
terribly real, but in another purely
fictitious. Every one who knows Ire
land knows also that if Ireland were
independent it would be hard to con-
csIve OF an international conflict in
which she would not be our indispen-
sable friend and ally.
The tragedy of the present situa-
ton lies in the fact that Ireland might
be transformed by so small an amount
o. courage and generosity. The real
alternative to-day is whether an offer
TO Ireland OF unconditional freedom
can win her or whether by maintaining
our present ndefensible, ;nsensate
EN~-NS u NOC4 CAOik WE SHOulG lose nGC.
ireland never will be willing mem
her OF the British commonwealth until
sne has free choice in the matter OF
complete independence. if she so wills.
mat Ultimate choice must be entirely
Tree. No alternative, even that OF
republic in alliance with the Huns,
must specifically be excluded. Only
mas can the Irish problem be solved
The risk. we are convinced, would
se Tar sliChter than in the average
q fielrh inperialist dreams; indeed, it
would be nothing-for the less we
.; er now, the more in the long run
lsc and viii .ake"
Words like these coming from re-
-9ensible paner like The New States
man show that the events OF last
Teek n ireland did not leave the Irish
question where it was before. There
IS n political significance behind the
article, and the majority of the other
periodicals. are quite as firm in their
inperialistic attitude toward Ireland
as before
The verdict of the Cork jary charg-
ing Premier Lloyd George, Lord French
and Ian Macpherson, the former Chief
Secretary for Ireland, and number Of
police officials with the wilful murder
Of Lord Mayor MacCurtain, adds an
o1Aer embarrassment to the British gov
ernments position with relation to
Irish affairs
Three Verdicts of Wilful Murder
Of course the charge is not taken
seriously on this side of St. Georges
channel, but it is in Ireland. The fact
that the verdict will be dropped with
out prosecution furnishes the Irish
sympatnlzers with a powerful lever in
their argument against the fairness If
British rule.
Moreover the refusal of Viscount
french and Sir John Taylor to attend
the inquest and give evidence after
nsvlng been subpenaed, because they
publicly admitted knowledge that the
mayor was killed by Sim Feiners, fur
hisnes the Sim Feiners with still more
argumentative material. One of the
calef arguments Of the Britis, govern
ment has been that as witnesses at
insa murder trials refuse to testify,
lae only course open is to hold sus-
gected criminals without trial. Sim
rein today replies that here is an ex-
ample OF British officials refusing to
give evidence which they publicly pro-
iessed TO possess.
Three times in the last week
soroners' juries have returned verdicts
o. "ilful murder against police officials.
IL the case OF the murder Of a police
mar. the Crown Attorney requested the
Jury 70 denounce the crime and it re-
fused 70 do SO. Last week three police
men we're found executed. Their
oocies were discovered with the eyes
s'ahd.oided and their hands tied.