Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-21
SIMS FREE SPEECH
PLEASING To BRITISH
By GEORGE N. BARNES
(ForIner Member War Cabinet)
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)


Copyright, 1921
LONpON, June 18-Decidedly the
piquant event of the week has been
the correspondence regarding the
anti-Irish speech of Admiral Sims.
The speech itself was breezy, and
the reply Of the admiral to an Amer
: lean interlocutor was no less so.
We English, of course, cannot take
either side. but without being COM
: mitted in any way to an indorse-
ment of the sentiments expressed
in the speech, we have been tickled
by the correspondence which has
arisen out of 1t and are heartily in
sympathy with the admiral.
Perhaps that is because 1t Is all
so familiar to us. Some of our
greatest sea dogs have been thorns
in the side of the constituted author:
ity themselves. The great Nelson
threatened to resign his commission
pedantry on the part of the titled
barnacles," who had power and au-
thority over him. And the Nelson
habit has been maintained by most
naval service right up to the pres
Lord Charles Beresford and Ad-
miral Fisher always We're in hot
water with the admiralty, when they,
themselves, were not in it or of 1t,
and it is only few months since
Admiral Scott told committee of
the British cabinet that he was 60
ing to take his own course and they
could do the same.
Free speech Unchallenged
But tradition is not confined to
admirals. Free speech to us is
sturdy supporter of the American
coIonists, in the eighteenth century
fered for it at that low ebb Of our
fortunes when the lack of liberal
principles led to a separation OF the
English-speaking peoples. ana lree
speech has never been challenged
since.
1t is true that we hail a person
before a magistrate now and then.
such as Sylvia Paakhurst, or a
Bertrand Russell, but it has been
: done only in extrelne cases and on
the principle that the LORD loVetn
whom he chasteneth."
Perhaps our love Of free express
sion comes from our literature; per-
haps it is in our atmosphere, but IN
any case we hope that America will
deal gently with our recent visitor,
even if it be thought that evil COM
{. munications on our part have cor
rupted his native. good manners.
AS we speed the parting admiral,
his fellow countrymen who are
spending some time among US. l
refer to the Rotarians, fifteen hun
dred strong. They are here, as we
are assured by Albert Adams, OF
Atlanta. Ga; their chief s spokesman
, They will find US very responsive
And in view of the misunderstood
ings I alluded to last Sunday, they
have come at an opportune time.
Rotarians will carry back to the
only by direct contact. That knowl-
ledge will be an appreciation OF our
determination to do nothing IN the
: English-speaking peoples being
found together on the high road of
history when great events are snap
ing human destinies.
other Guests
Still another crowd of guests have
come this week. These are the
prime ministers and their stats
from the British dominions over
seas, and they have come for con-
ference with the British government
primarily on the question OF impe-'
rial defGnse, but incidentally to give
form and substance to their new
Htatus as self-governing communl-
ties.
stock sre today. paradoxical as 1t
may seem, entirely free to go their
own way, although they were never
less disposed to do so, and they are
going to discuss with us questions
of foreign policy as well as imperial
1T is a new and interesting. devel-
op1nent in inter-inperial relations,
based on sentiment rather than me.
,chanical ties. and 1t will be watched
with sympathetic interest.
The imperial conference will begin
Monday, but two days thereafter
: there viii be an event of even great
err promise. The king will open the
new Ulster parliament. This viii
be an event pregnant with great
possibilities, for it is scarcely likely
the government would have con-
scented to his making the. journey
unless the government had some
thing important to say through him.
= VIII the king be charged with
~messag go Of hope and help in the SO.
Tuition Of the great Irish problem? II
mot, the government will have IN
.,derrated the opportunities of the
occasion. We must wait and see.