New-York tribune., 1920-07-13
"Blowing Into the Gun
One american Who Has WemiM
Irish PROPAGANDA
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The editorial in yestsrds,
mornings Tribune, Blowing Into u.
Cum" is one of the most tins,
articles have noticed on The Tribun.,
or any other New York newspspsr,
editorial page for a long time. Aad ii
has given me pleasure to hear severn
people speak complimentary Of Il
While there are doubtless Q great
many good Americans who believe lrs
lands cause a worthy one, there sn|
also several million of US who canru
feel it one that should become . rs|
tional issue in our Presidential else|
tions. And when it develops into sued
Importance that Irish societies viii
send resolutions to political platforr|
committees threatening to combinI
their strength to oppose a partyil
candidate unless certain measures a|
planks are inserted in that part5t
platform it is time that serious alter
tion is paid to the matter.
When people designate themslva
by the nationality of their foreip
ancestors instead of calling themselva
Americans, and become so influential o.
powerful that they can dictate psry
platforms and policies and control oEI
elections by threats and coercion It n
time for Americans to rub their eya|
and wake up.
1t is growing monotonous and disI
tasteful to many genuine 100 per ceaI
Americans to have it everlastinsg
dinned into their ears what grss
things the Irish have done for Amena
but never to hear what benefits To
Irish have derived by making Their
home in America. Truly, if there ISL
race in the world that likes to "bi@
its own horn" it is the Irish. csf
tain type Of this race are always lns'
1t makes no difference if their o.
cestors have been in America for snle
Of four generations, they are SUI
Irish, never Americans. Especlally Y
this true of those whose hatred OF f''
British is the most bitter. The i''.
seems to be overlooked that nost y
US Americans are of English ex.i's
ton, and criticism of the English Y
criticism of our own ancestors.
As great as some of the irlsn "
lieve their race to be, l who p'''
both English and Irish blood IN W
veins am no prouder of the latter ~,
/ am of the former. A woman friena :
mine often says that if she knew sa'''
was a drop of English blood IN i'
veins she would cut it out. Sonea', :,
/ cannot feel that way about II
cannot feel ashamed to have the D''s'
of the same race course through W
veins that flowed through the VEN
of Shakespeare, Milton, William f'e
Benjamin Franklin, George Wssn~s
ton, John Adams, Thomas Jeaei~
Abraham Lincoln and later "oca'''
Wilson.
But We have also had at leass ~
Presidents that were directly o. ~.
escent-Andrew Jackson and Jamss .
Polk. At this date no one shou'o :
ashamed Of them. They were ~.
that any one could feel proud 70 es.
relationship Of nationality. Thelf
cestors were Of that sturdy. iIiduss''sI,
stock Of Presbyterian Irish, VINO -
grated to America early in the ".
teenth century, and who De
patriotic Americans and took pl'S''
nent part in the early history anu
velopment of our country. y
Allow me to thank you for tne -
torial mentioned. am glad 70 ~ !.
that New York City has yet as -
one newspaper that is fearless ep''s |,
to stand up for America, regsrdies. .
any race that considers the vep'. !.
Of the United States secondaH
some other country.
LEILA F. BAILM