New-York tribune., 1921-04-04
Geste1'ton Wit
Keeps Irish and
Briton at Peace
Mingled Blows and Caresses
for England Delight Audi
ence That Foregoes Heck
ling to Enjoy the Humor
Lincoln's Task Not Akin
Secession Problem Entirely
Different From Civil War
in Erin, Visitor Declares

Gilbert X. Chesterton who lecturcd
last night at the Apollo Theater on
ireland and the Confederate Parallel" 4"
criticized English policy toward Ireland
from the unassailable position of an in
tensely nationalistic Englishman. In
the opinion of his hearers. the facility
with which he ridiculed English preju-
hugged them chuckling to his breast,
owning them his own, proved an abid-
ing virtue 1t gained him what no
other recent speaker on the Irish ques-
ton has secured-the good will of parti-
sans of both sides among his auditors.
The nearest G.. X. c. came to being
heckled was when a man obviously of
North Irish extraction arose and asked
if he didn't believe the solution of Ire
lands difficulties lay in the libcration
Of its people from the Roman Catholic
Church rather than from England. Ches-
terton turned with twinkle in his eye
to the Rev. Father Francis P. Duffy,
who presided, and said:
II think this question is directed
more to the chairman than to me, but
will say | believe it neither feasible
nor desirable to rid the Irish people Of
their religion"
Lincoln's Viewpoint Different
In combating the contention of de-
tenders of England's policy toward Ire
land that the British government find 8
itself in position analogous to that
which Lincoln occupied when the South
ern states seeded Chesterton declared
that Lincoln acted from the standpoint
not of Northerner, but an American,
who saw in both North and South com
NJ no ayfc pr
England desires to keep Ireland within
the union because she is convinced the
interests of the English nation re-
quire it."
"The North not only conquered the
South, but succeeded in converting the
South" the speaker added -"The Irish
have seeded dozen times, and have
been conquered dozen times. No
doubt they will be conquered again,
and it is likely they will secedc many
times again. If to-day, instead of
being reunited to the North, the Con-
federate states were again in revolt.
we would have to admit that Lincoln
was wrong and Jefferson Davis right.
The English object to the Irish Sc
cedlng from the union, but never con-
slider whether they themselves have the
right to secede' from it. I confess
would be vastly annoyed if an Irish
man We're to speak about our Thomas
A. Beckett or our Admiral Nelson.
Neither do I enjoy having a man from
GALWAY. with a thick broguc bossing
and bullying our English politicians. l
mean Sir Edward Carson"
The speaker, in reply to a question
at the close of his lecture, said he had
not the slightest idea what the ulti
Tate solution of the Irish problem
would be: The granting of dominion
home rule would have settled it at
one time unquestionably, he thought,
but he feared events had made an
amlcable agreement on that basis i'm
possible now.
English Policy "Generally Stupid"
What the English have done in Ire
land" he went on, "has been generally
stupid, often wicked and nearly always
indefensible"
Mr.. Chesterton denied that religion
had been the controlling factor in the
schism between the Irish Republicans
and the Unionists of Belfast, although
he agreed it had contributed to the
breach between the factions. He was
of the opinion, he said, that the nat
ural rivalry between an industrial
community like Belfast and an agri-
cultural, peasant class, such as makes
up the rest OF Ireland, was largely
responsible
Some one in the audience asked Mr.
Chesterton If he considered the ap-
Dolntment of Lord Edmund Talbot a
Roman Catholic, as the new Viceroy
Of Ireland, to be in the nature of an
olive branch.
81 don't know" he answered, "but l
am inclined to think that the English,
as they often are regarding Ireland. are
NH