Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-26
For the Norval Language Law.

oxford, Neb., July 23.-To the
Editor Of The Bee: The American
Legion OF Nebraska signifies its in
tention OF taking a hand in defense
of the Reid-Norval law which is be-
ing attacked by the German Luther
an synod Of Missouri. The Legion Is
right and should be commended by
every loyal citizen in the state. There
is nothing in this law but justice and
a square deal to the school children.
1t in no way conflicts with religion
or It's teaching in church schools. 1t
does not abridge the right OF parents
who choose to send their children to
church schools: 1t does, however
prescribe that teachers in such
schools shall have equal qualifica-
tionS with teachers in the public
schools and that the American Ian
guage shall be used Why not? Is
not that fair and just to the children
who are sent to those schools? 1t
certainly is better than sending them
to teachers whose only qualification
was that they spoke foreign
tongue and that they were obsessed
with the idea that religion could not
be taught In other than the German
language and that 1t should take the
place of the English language in our
schools. The law allows perfect
freedom of language in Sunday
schools and church service and only
requires that children exempted
from the public schools shall not be
deprived of equal rights in the
church schools. The parties fighting
the Reid-N -Norval law are the same
that desperately fought the repeal of
the Mockett law. They fought the
repeal of letting foreigners vote on
equality with American citizens.
They were the instigators and fought
to retain the law that robbed the
taxpayers of the state to enrich the
foreign language press. Lutherans
as well, if not more than others. will
receive great benefits from strict en-
forcement Of this law. The foreign
language press. which is backing
this fight with all the means, political
strategy and religious propaganda at
their command. realize that this law
while splendid thing for church
school students will sooner or later
destroy their strangle hold on the
politics of the state, hence their
fight. A. c. RANKIN.
Ireland Must BE Free.
Sacred Heart Rectory. Omaha,
July 23.-To the Editor of The Bee:
In the interests of peace and justice
for the long suffering Irish people,
you will have the courtesy to grant
little space, to put the facts Of the
Irish cause before the interested
American people. To clear the at
mosphere from the befogging
smoke screen Of British propaganda,
so cleverly being spread in the
American press, let me state:
/. President De Valera and his
Irish government could not if they
would, and would not, if they could.
accept anything as settlement of
Irish rights short Of an undivided
independent Ireland. They cannot
accept any form of foreign control
within the British empire. If they
did, they would betray the mandate
given them and the Irish people
would repudiate Mr.. De Valera and
his cabinet and elect others in their
place. Ireland has been robbed Of
her independence as nation by the
brute force Of England and until the
latter makes restitution for this
robbery there can be no peace
Erltaln mas proved TO demonStratlon,
by seven centuries of misrule, rob-
berry and wrong that she is utterly
unable to govern Ireland justly. To
accept any modification of her con-
troll at this time would be only CIV
ing a new lease on life to the CEN
turied feud between the two nations
and fostering it's continuance. 1t
would be perpetuating ireland as q
vasal nation of England. paying inn
perial taxation.
2. There will be peace and friend
ship between Ireland and England
only when the invader undoes the
wrong of centuries and withdraws
from Irish soil. The Irish race at
home and abroad have struck for
good against the claims of the usurp-
ing tyranny of England. And in the
present tentative peace conference