El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-09-30
BRITAIN IS MAKING SAD SPECTACLE
OF HERSELF BEFORE THE WORLD

IT, FOLLOWING the bomb outrage IN New York the police
and soldiers had gone over into the east side tenement
district ana fire to the houses and shops and shot down
men, women and children in the streets by way OF reprsa
would the world have looked complacenty and With
held its judgment?
Wherein does the British policy Of "rsprsals in Ireland
differ essentially IN its moral immoral basis from the
repsals" Of the Germans in Belgium, the shooting Of
hostages and the looting and wreoking Of villages?
IF the British government supported by British sent-
ent ana the British press does not quickly put stop to
the repsals" Ireland Of which the dispatches for
May weeks have been telling the hong details Britain
VIII lose and justly forfeit the respect OF mankind as Ter
many did Apparently there is such thing more as
British law British justice The very phrase constitu-
6oEal ORDER has become mooksry.
ls massacre the Only reply to assass1natons
Are the Irish people to be treated hencefOTth Wild
beasts, to be exterminated?
Take the report yesterday rom the town Of Malow,
county Cork Sim Feiners raided the military barracks
and killed sergeant; HThe 18th lances promptly exacted
repTsalshsy burned the town hall and 40 buildings,
including creamery and the principal shops"
Did this bring the sergeant back to life? Did this solve
the political probem7 Did this restore Order2 Did this
restabsh the dignity and authority Of the British govern
meut over mutinous province?
On the contrary, this sort Of thing is mob rule intens
fed Il is fu confession that the government is broken
down It is the act Of reckless desperation, not confident
superiority It is the notice to all the world that England
has Of moral force reliance the Justice Of
which she has claimed to be the great and strong guardian
ana has only The recourse Of the savage IN this national
Crisis It is the proof Of weakness not power.
It Looks Britain IN these last few years has de-
stroyed one BY one with fatefu regularity all practical
9
How any accord be brought about after the entire
being Of the Irish people has been torn and rpured and
gorged with poisonous bloody humor BY the insane anger
Of hate and destructive impulse IS impossible to see As
well Try TO tame and train madaened bull to be play
mate for children try to bng the Irish hack into the
British empire in coutsHted unity.
Possibility Of actual separation there Anything
approzatng 4uatiauaIp Independence Of ireland
thinkabe England VIII destroy Ireland and the Irish be
lore she VIII permit physical separation of Ireland from
the kingdom Americans who offer encouragement Irish
to hope plan for national independence simply aug
msnng the tragedy and promoting assassination and
repsas. Americans might conceiVaby help toward some
sort Of settlement, but assisting the Independence" move
snt Is no help at all it Is only adding to elands grief
and burden.
There word Of excuse condoung for the Grim
nal essses Of Sim Fem The ambush, the shot the
hack the murder in darkness the attempts terrorism
the ng, ths assaults Of individual officers By over
when numbers Of coWardl zssassns, these things call
for no sympathy praise. They not IN the way of
American methods Of fighting. The guerrilla may have his
part 70 play In the desperate straits Of like poison
gas and subteTznean Mines but not all Irish criminals are
Irish patriots,
But Britain cannot afford let these reprisalss 20
on They accomplish nothing except to add fuel to the
1agratlon and to destroy the By which the
fagraton might at last be sTngushed Piling horror
upon horror sheds light and aids good end This
not even civil var It Is chaos, it is government subs-
died he'll and It goes On, the devil VII have the last
laugh to see the great and grand exponent Of civilization
and protector Of human liberties dive shekng and cursuE
into the boiling pot.