The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-11
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Cause of Irish Agitation

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 As a subscriber to your vauled jour nal, may I ask your indulgence to ex- press a few thoughts which have oc- cured to me in regard to the agitation nov being promoted by professional Irishmen in the name of Sim Feinism.
 Irish agitation, mainly promoted in this country, has persistently bobbed up for many years, especially round about election time, however, I believe that all intelligent Americans realize the game that these agitators are play ing, as we are all more or less ac- auainted with their record in Ameri- lean politics.
 The professional Irish politician has }long been dominant in our politics, more especially in our large cities in the east and west notably in New MYcrk, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago Ntnd many other cities, and no real y}A merican can view their record with Iany degree of pride Tor wherever we have found the Irish politician in con- trol we have found vice, crime, booale- ism and dirty politics; the decent peo- ple have become disgusted and yet it is men of this stripe who are engineer ing the present agitation and who are gaining the sympath;es of the Ameri- can people.
 For the past 40 or 50 years the pro- fessional Irish have staged Feinianism land league-ism and numerous other '.isms." all of which they have per suaded the American people were go- ing to free down trodden' Ireland; i; during that time they have collected millions of dollars from the gunible public of this country. When one con- templates the activities of these would Ee saviors of poor old Ireland, we are tempted to wonder how much of the millions picked up in this land of plenty has ever reached Ireland no doubt enough to encourage their henchmen in the old country to keep busy in excit- ing the poor, deluded people of that land but I will venture to say that easily more of the funds collected have gone into the pockets of the men who gre making such loud noise for Irish freedom, than ever reached Ireland. The professional Irish politician. is glib of tongue and adroit in the politi- cal game, and fully realizes the .propen- \ sity of the American public to be fooled 2 20 they are working it for all it's worth, 4gathering in the sheckles while the vgathering is good.
 Y This Irish agitation is mostly bunk to fool the American public. If the Irish at home were let alone, they would quit talking politics and get to work, and would be as contented and prosperous as the Scotch and welsh. both of which nationalities are happy and contented under the English flag. England would impose no oppressive measures on Ireland and none would be required, but for the activities of the professional Irishmen in this coun- try: so long as this agitation is kept up, fostering strife between the diff feremt clements of Ireland, there is bound to be trouble. These agitators win find it profitable to continue their propaganda so long as the American public hand out their dollars, and it looks like the biggest graft game that was ever staged before the American public.
 An independent Ireland only means another sore spot in European poli- tics; the very day the last British sol dier is withdrawn from Ireland, Donny- brook Fair and the battle of the Kill kenny cats would be nothing compared fc what the different factions in that distracted land would stage, and the outcome would be that England would be compelled to step in again for self defense.
 Britain will never permit a hostile nation to set up on her Hanks, no mat