The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-12-06
Dublin PEOPLE
PEACEFUL BUT
APPRENTICESHIP
Irish Rejoice in Peace Of
the Moment and Pros
per While They Have
the Opportunity.
COLLEENS SPIRITED

tEt International News Seryicel
DTBLl%, Dec. 6.-Twelve months
ago Dublin was one of the NEST UNI
happy cities in Western Europe. TO
day, though anxious for the future,
the Irish capital is at ease. rejoic-
ing in he peace of the momen The
Dublin ol 1921 compared TO the Dub
lin Of 1870 is as different as the New
York OF 1918, with its war fear and
its short l%ations, is to the New York
OF today.
Ireland is prosperous, but could
be more SO. Ireland. despite the ter
ror Of the past three years is the
only country in Europe that is paying
its way, The exports from Ireland
today greatly exceed her imports,
Yet | have seen most Of the factories
where Erin made her world.famous
butter burned to the ground. | have
seen the principal part of her third
city with its stately City Hall, all 4
~blackened mass Of burned ruins. Yet
the Irish farmer and tradesman went
on his way, all the time working
and made his native country pay her
way.
Peaceful Dublin
We nave peace here today, for the
time being, at all events; yet nobody
knows what tomorrow may bring
forth. Irish politics are as uncertain
as an April day. The sky may be
bright one moment, the next the rain
clouds appear. Similarly, when all
looks black and dreary some favorable
wind comes TO brighten the horizon.
Despite the many disappointments OF
seeing freedom so often snatched from
its grasp, when everything seemed
assured, Ireland has always returned
TO the fight again. The betrayal of
the Nationalist party by the British
Radical government in 1914, was the
severest blow, probably that Irishmen's
faith in English craftsmanship ever
received. But it did not dampen their
ardor in the least in the fight to live
their own lives in their own way. \
new fight. with new men with differ
ent methods, became necessary. The
change was radical, and whether all
the waste of lives and treasure the
next few weeks will tell. 1t is estimat-
ed hat fifty million pounds worth OF
property was destroyed in Erin dur.
ing the last w years, and if there
were added TO this money that the
Irish people threw into the fighting
chests Of the Irish Republican Army
and the Sim Fein organization, the
bill would be indeed n formidable one.
Yet, though il was an offense to eth
er collect or subscribe TO Sim Feinn or
the 1. Il. A. punishable with anything
from two 10 ten years imprisonment,
the Irish leaders never lacked funds;
the people were always only too ready
TO come forward with their pennies
on their pounds.
Lack Confidence
ireland may again be disappointed
the Irish man and woman is never
~overconfident about anything in the
political world nowadays. ireland will
be ready 10 fight the fight again
Speaking to the people, one learns that
they do not in the least mind again
facing curfcw nights, when one had
TO be indoors sometimes as carly as
) and 6 o'clock in the evening. TIL
Irish Republican Army, young men
are prepared 10 go back again TO the
hills to fight guerilla war ten times
more terrible than the last. They
know they cannot gain 4 military de-
cision over Britain but nevertheless
they are prepared to give the next
generation of Irish men the "quados
as they say, handing down the tradi
ton that their foreiathers gave 10
them. But il is the women OF Ire
land, the young, pretty colleens es-
pecially, that are bubbling over with
patriotism for their motherland.
know OF several districts where the
young girls will not talk TO any young
man unless he Is n volunteer. In back
ward recruiting districts, where few
men Joined, one OF the officers NJ the
headquarters Of the /. K. 4. told me
that the girls formed themselves into
recruiting companies and got every
available man TO become u member
Of the Republican Army.
Girls Advocate Volunteering
The Irish colleens have during the
last two years devoted all their spare
time in the interests Of The volunteers.
They have either been members OF
the Nursing Corps, clerks at he Bat
TALON headquarters, dispatch carriers
or secret agents, who, with all the