El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-10-23
The Irish Question
EdItor u 20 Herald:

Il an directed ~ -4-AA---- -i- 70
Barry branch. Friends OF Irish
Freedom. TO refer TO the state
ments in your recent editorial that
ANYTHING approximatlng national in
dapendence Of Ireland is unthinkable,
and that Americans who encouF9se
the Irish TO plan for natlonal NEE
Dendencs are augmenting the Tragedy
and promoting ass1ssinatlon anu
II appears to US that Il should be
actually unthinkaDle 10 our amer lclll
idea OF fair play that incependencs
should be withheld from Ireland Al
fhe esr1e time that we have helped Po-
land secure her national status ana
arc at present furnishing Poland war
material 70 maintain that status
Part OF Poland was incluued IN the
former Russian empire, one or the az
He'd powers, yet during the var
Russia asduiesced I'm Poland setting
up her own government, and we now
learn that British statesmen actively
interested themselves in urging Rus
sian consent 10 the scheme
That the possibility OF irish inoe-
pendence should be "unthinkable' 10
Americans with their ideals OF liberty
Is inded q dubious compliment TO the
malevolent influence Of the anti lrlsn
campaign now being waged in Amer
lea whose main feature is the lavish
use OF literary poison gas. u is sent
In noEious waves all over the coun-
try IN a desperate alien attempt 20
asphyEiate reason and common sense
honor. humanity and fair play
And 90 the extent that they nope
their campaign succeeds IN mlsleao-
inE Americans viii the present Brit
fsh government be encouraged 10
throttle liberty in Ireland An aroused
public opinion. however, is always
a great influence. It was powerful
n |Ha
tarism. hence the proponents OF irish
independence have reason % believe
their efforts viii not be fruitless, and
that the English government, rather
than continue 10 defy the indlgnany
public opinion OF the whole world OF
America especially, will not only be
forced 20 relinquish its present IN
teutions IN Ireland, but allow that
country 20 establish the government
20 which an overwhe lining majority
have pledged their allegiance
The Friends OF Irish Freedom be-
lieve that right viii Ultimately
triumph and feel compelled to re-
sent somewhat the too hroai intima-
ton that their activities are only
augmeutiuE the tragedy Of Ireland
When the German war machine was
rolling up the allied armies during
their great drive in March, 1913, and
the laiEer's long range cannon was
bombardinE Paris at half h0Ir inter
faces OF our citizens In those dark
days. yet no one thought OF giving up
the struggle then apparently hope
less. II IN spite Of the outlook
Americans were optimists then. the
friends OF Ireland are not cravens
and cutters" today.
Sim Fein has been accused OF crimi-
nal excuses by the British govern
meut, which you enumerlte. yet the
commission OF the British labor party
which visited Ireland in the present
year felt bound 70 say rhat no cvi-
dence was forthcoming % prove that
these alleged excuses preceded the
application Of the policy Of rigorous
repression
And now wiz you permit me- 70 call
your attention 10 ny BaldcrstOn's ar
ticle IN recent edition The ad-
vance notice OF the previous day car
ried the headline. ireland Us In the
Throes Of a Great Religious War,
and further that Mr.. Balderston has
thorough knowledge Of European
politics a close reading OF the article
itself. however. reveals only that Ire
land seems ready 20 plunge into re-
lgious var But the particular state
ment 20 which I wish 20 direct yor-r
attention IS HIS assertion that the
conflicts IN Ireland instead OF being
political. are IN essence religious"
This Is utterly untrue.
The injection Of the religious issue
into the minds OF certain Protestant
lrlshmen Is a device 70 keep Ireland
divided The British people them
selves know this. and the device IS
now used solely for foreign consump-
ton So far as the Catholic popula-
ton Is concerned, we challenge lIr.
balderston 20 name even one reput-
able English writer o. the past sew
eral hundred years who has pointed
out single instance Of religious in
tolerance The testimony OF English
observers past and present. to the
contrary ls abundant and emphatic
Indeed. one Of the strongest CHARGES
IN the Indictment which Ireland has
drawn up against Great Britain fs the
policy Of tomenting religious dissen-
sion A government organized for the
y welfare OF Its people win foster re-
ligious peace
But the lot OF the Journalist is not
a happy one when he has the task OF
Interpreting one country 20 another.
re IS almost sure 20 follow mislead-1
Ing indications and is apt TO announce +
with an assured certainty what 10 q
orlet time he VIII be obliged 20 con
-radiCt.
Doubtless the Irish. IN common with
our own people in periods OF great
stress, such as the late war, seek
aolace IN religion, and possibly there
Y III be manifestations Of religious
-ervor- No keen observer win. how
'Fer, confuse this one outward effect
9y assigning 10 10 a religious cause.
- Americ rs may rest assured that
mere VIII be no religious reaction by E
ne sim Eein organization TO the
-ecent deportations- from northeast /
James J Murphy. president.