The Washington times., 1922-10-10

uTItCteS JOT Inc WuSNWytOW Woo,
already published. and intended to
write a book, but finding himself
too preoccupied as head of the
Provisional Irish Government to do
the book, he took Mr.. Talbot Utth
him in his travels so that the book
could be compiled from his o1On
notes. His untimely death makes
this the only official narrative that
can be published as michael Col
Inns OWn Story"
BY HAYDEN TALBOT,
Copyright. 1922, by The Washington
Times)
Chapter 20. Section 2.
Continuing his analysis Of the
period under O'Connells leadership.
Michael Collins said:
The Young Irelanders, Of whom
Thomas Davis was the inspiration,
were the real leaders. They saw and
felt more deeply and aimed more
truly. Davis spoke to the soul Of
the sleeping Nation-the Nation
really drunk with the waters Of
forgetfulness. He sought to unite
the whole people. He fought against
sectarianism and all the other causes
which divided them. He saw that
unless we were Gaels we were not
Nation.
when he thought OF the Nation
he thought of the men and women
of the Nation. He knew that unless
they were free Ireland could not be
free, and to fill them again with
pride in their Nation he sang to them
of the old splendor of Ireland, OF
- I'D Iaf un nj
the strength of unity, OF the glory
of noble strife, of the beauties of the
land. Of the delights and richness of
the Gaelic life.
Birthright Lost.
"a nationality founded in the
hearts and intelligence Of the peo-
ple.' he said. would bid defiance
to the arms of the foe and guile
of the traitor The first step to
nationality is the open and delb'
crate recognition of 1t by the people
themselves. Once the Irish people
declare the disconnection Of them
selves, their feelings and interests
from the men, feelings and interests
Of England, they are in march tor
freedom
That was the true national COS
pei. Educate that you may be
free he said. 1t is only by bap,.
| tism at the front of .Gaelcism thnt
we shall get the strength and ardor
to fit us for freedom The spirit
of Davis breathed again in those
who succeeded to his teachings. and
who, directed by that inspiration,
kept the footsteps of the nation on
the right road for the march TO
freedom.
Those who succeeded to these
teachings saw that II we continued
to turn to Enisand the nation
would become extinct. We were
taCitly accepting Englands denial
of our nationhood so useful for Fer
propaganda purposes. We were
selling our birthright for a mess
of pOttage
Back to Freedom.
I'VE pleaded with England for
measures of reform and political
emancipation - pleading with the
! spoilers for a portion of the spOils
they had robbed from us. We saw
| that the Nation could be preserved
and freedom won only by the Irish
| people themselves.
THE future Ireland had its birth
in the last decade of the last cen
tury.
"In days to come Irish history
will recognize in the formation Of
the Gaelic League in 1893 the most
| important event Of the nineteenth
century. I may go further and say
that it was. the most important
event in the whole history of our
nation. 1t probably checked an as
similation of Ireland by the pre-.
|
! for all turned the minds of the
Irish people back to their own
| country. 1t did more than any
other movement to restore the ma
tional pride, honor and self-respect
Through the medium of the Ian
| guage it linked the people with the
past and led then to look to a fu.
| ture which would he noble con-
tinuation of It. Within its folds
were nurtured the men and women
who were to win for Ireland the
power to achieve national freedom.
Wolfe Tones Rise.
| "a good tree brings forth good
| fruit-a barren one produces moth.
ing. The policy advocated by
Redmond ended as it was bound to
/
which Ireland has achieved was
dreamed of by Wolfe Tone. was
foreseen by Thomas Davis, and
their efforts were broadened out
until they took into their embrace
! all the true national movements by
! the grim resolve of William
Rooney, supported later by the
strong arm of the volunteers.
And now we have no choice but
to turn our eyes again to Ireland.
! The most completely Anglicized
person in Ireland will look hence
forth to Britain in vain. Ireland is
about to revolve once again on her
own axis. But let us ever bear in
mind that our real freedom can be
won only when we are fit and
willing to win 1t.
Can we claim that we are vet
fit aHd willing? Is not our countrv
still l/filled with men and women who
are unfit and unwillipyo Arc wa all