The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-25

lord mayor Of Cork, probably will
become one OF the most moving chap
ters of the centuries-long history of
the Irish struggle. No other contro-
versy has stirred Great Britain so
deeply as this since the one that
centered upon Cecil Rhodes, when
the Jameson raid was balked by Paul
Kruger and the raiders imprisoned
The campaign in England for Nc
Swiney's release from prison has been
apart from all political and party
considerations and even the king
was drawn into it. The movement in
McSwiney's behalf was mainly hui
manitarian and enlisted tender-heart-
ed people Of all factions but was
urged by others with arguments Of
party strategy.
McSwiney dead and cannonized in
the hearts of the Irish people with
Wolf Tone and the Manchester mar
tyrs would be q more valuable as
set to the Sim Fein than McSwiney
alive, and even though free pass
10 freedom for McSwiney might weak
en- the governments hand. why help
the separatist cause by giving 1t
Il martyr" were the arguments put
forward even by British unionists.
Stand by the law and do not
create a precedent which would make
the will Of convicted rebel the de-
cisive factor in determining whether
he shall be punished, was the argu-
ment of the stand fast faction. A ma
iority of the British papers including
the London Times and the liberal
press, the labor unionists and many
members of both parties in parliament
joined in the agitation for McSwiney's
release.
Two notable controversies, one con-
stitutional and the other theological f!
have arisen from the case. The first
was whether King George could prop !
erly exercise his pardonng preroga-
tive Independently of or against the /
advice of his ministers. The second .
was whether the Catholic clergy,
representing a church which holds |
suicide to be a crime could consist |
cn ly administer the sIcraments to /
hunger strikers. The kings reply .
tIt VI lbi
War. to the petition of members of I
parliament was generally interpreted /
Ia mean that the kings personal lean
ing was toward granting n pardon.
But. since Premier Lloyd George and .
the foreign minis cr, y. Bonar Law,
We're at the same time issuing argu-
mnntS against clemency for the lord
mayor, 1t was evident that any action
in that direction by the king would
be against the advice of his minis
ters.
The newspapers published many edi-
torias and letters setting forth, on
one hand that King George should
not be embarrassed by direct appeals
to him and on the other hand, that
he should, and had the right to ex-
erclse his nominal constitutional pow
er of pardoning.
The Weekly Nation which is one of
the most advanced liberal organs
and not generally rated as a snupport-
er of monarchy, argued that this was
an occasion for the king to vindlcate
his constitutional right and protect
the country against the growing au-
tocracy OF The cabinet.
There were many other arguments
to the same effect. oae historical
writer. combating the theory that
the king always had been cipher In
such matters. eXhumed new story
in the annals of British monarchy,
telling how George ". described by
as the weakest and least
admirable character In the line of
British kings, used To pace the coun-
cll chamber with tears pleading for
the pardon of criminals and some
times carrying his point, although
once when he wrote to the viceroy of
Ireland granting pardon to murder
pr he was compelled by his cabinet
10 cancel his cdict.
one of the chief reasons put forward
by McSwiney's advocates although adj
iocated from anti-Sinn Fein quarters.
was that the offenses of which Nc
swincy was convicted were SO COM
Daratively light they did not Justify
Ms sufferln gevcn though voluntarily.
'remier Lloyd Georges reply was that
NcSwiney undoubtedly was high
'.ficer Of the Irish Republican army"
yhlch decrecd and executed murders
,f officials and police In Ireland. The
publican army, unlike the Sim Feln
= purely a secret organization. The
IDENTIFY of its officers and personnel
$ kept from the public and there Is
'oubt even whether the Sim Fein
cntrols II or officially knows It's
III
The theological argument ever the
rlrse Ut Bshop Colnhan and Nc
'Ni"ey's chaplain. the Rev. Father \