The New York herald., 1921-04-20

larry and OF the auxiliary division have
been sentenced by court-martial.
"Condonation OF crimel
Il turn now to the second point or
your resolution. must say / read with
surprise and regret the statement that
because OF the long cherished sense OF
political grievance which has not been
satisfied by the present home rule act,
we cannot regard the cruel and de-
testable outrages which have given rise
to the whole reprisals policy, authorized
and unauthorized alike. as a mere out
break of wanton criminality in the ordi-
nary sense
'Y our resolution Is emphatic when con-
demning the Government, in its state
ment OF the absolute unlawfuness OF
an attempt TO overcome wrong, however
fragrant and provocative. by means fur
thsr equally iniefensible and wrong
ard yet in the next sentence 1t con-
,dones the adoption by the Sim Fein of
the weapons OF Wholesale murder on
the ground that the end justifies the
means. 1t seems TO me that this part
OF your resolution is subversive alike
OF order good government. morality and
the Christian religion.
Let us see what II means 1 do not
wish to minimize In the least Great
Britains share of the responsibility in
the present state of the Irish question
All parties in Great Britain united in
the general election IN 1918 to ask OF
the electorate a mandate to give Ireland
home rule, which had been pleaded for
by Gladstone and asked for by all the
leaders OF Irish Nationalism since Isaac
Butt. including Parnell, Dillon and Red
mond. The only unsettled question was
the treatment OF Ulster and as to that
both the Liberal party had recognized
in 1914 and the Irish Nationalists IN
1916 that II II was to be a settlement
Ulster must have separate treatment"
'Policy OF the Sim Fein-
'srhe Sim Fen rejected home rule
and demanded In It's place an Irish re-
public OF the whole of ireland. The
Sim Fein went further They delib-
crately set to work to destroy concilia-
ton and constitutional methods. because
.ney recognized violence as the only
method to realize republic.
The rebellion of 1915 was their first
blow at conciliation and reason. Their
refusal to partake of convention was
the second The proclamation OF a re-
public by the Dali Eireann and their
abstention from Westminster was the
third. It's inauguration of a policy of
feat home rule, rather than discuss the
home rule bill in Parliament or enter in
to direct conference outside, was the
fourth
do not think anybody can doubt
hat the principal reason why the war
was not brought to a peaceful settle
ment and why Ireland Is more deeply
divided to-day than it ever has been is
Lecause OF the determination of the
Sim Fein to prevent such a settlement
and to fight for republic instead.
Go not contest the Sim Fein's right to
Its opinions and aspirations, and / have
never done So But what amazes me Is
than body of responsible men and
eminent leaders OF the church should
state publicly that the Sim Fein has
some kind of justification for murder
ing the innocent In cold blood because
its novel, extravagant political ideas
have been denied
where does its doctrine end? There
is a small but vigorous Communist
party in these islands which bitterly
and with the most intense convictions
believes 1t ought to overthrow our demo-
cratic institutions and seize power by
force and violence because OF the man
ner in which they consider the ruling
classes In the past. the aristocracy and
the OWHerS OF capital, opposed ana eN-
plotted the poor. Are the Communists,
because of the suffering and the griev-
,ances of the working classes and the
sincerity Of their own Industrial ideas
to be justified in employing murder and
assassination to achieve these ends?
sTcrror In Ireland
But there is another aspect of the
question to which i must allude The
Sim Fein does not confine its activities
to attacks on servants of the crown.
1t has inaugurated reign of terror In
Ireland certainly equal to anything in
Irish history
Its hold on the country is due partly.
no doubt, 10 the fanatcal enthusiasm
II envokes. but partly due to terrorism
OF the extremist kind. Its opponents in
ireland are murdered ruthlessly, usually
without any form of trial and with no
chance of pleading their case. simply
because the Sim Fein leaders think.
II should like to repeat that II was not
until over 100 of their comrades had
been cruelty assassinated that the police
began to strike q blow in self-defense.
Perhaps the most terrible aspect of the
irish situation to-day is the indiffet-
cnce which has grown up there to crime
and murder since the Sim Fein entered
its camapign. 1t has been a matter -
surprise and regret TO me that during
the long agony no organized protest 70
leaders of the Sim Fcin has been made