The Washington herald., 1922-08-24

villages and castled market towns. Ire
lands Galahad has gone from the land
Over bridges of FIRE he has ridden on his last
crusade
Collins is dead. His own have cruci6ed him.
News that any outstanding public figure in
the United States had been assassinated hardly
won; AVE caused great shock did the
report of this mans murder Americas hopes for
ireland and her sympathes for the Irish people
largely have centercd in the personality of Michael
Collins. He the greatest Irishman of his
generation. He represented all that was best, all
that was most stable, all that bravest in the
Irish race His has been household word
in the United States for months
America has been disappointed in ireland
During the immediate past Americans OF Irish
parentage have passed through dark days of doubt
and misgiving. All through the tragic hours of
the war between the brave little island and the
British Empire they supported morally and fnan-
cialy the cause of the land of their mothers Then
came victory and peace. After 700 years of fight
ing Erin was free. What long tragedy it had
been' What illustrious stood out in letters
OF funereal purple on its pages. The Geraldines
who first hurled defiance at their Norman mas
ter, Wolfe Tone, Emmett O'Connell, Parnell Red
mond and now the greatest of all-Collins.
America had unbounded faith in the inherent
stability of the Irish people This faith has been
shattered rudely. Enemies of Ireland have made
the most of the assertion that the Irishman's
worst enemy is hmself-that the Irish people
never will stop fighting until the last is dead
Much has been done during the past few months
to justify that assertion. Those who defended
Ireland pinned their hopes on Collins Amid the
tumutuous shadows he stood forthasa tower of
strength. He had all those qualities that attract
and hold pubic attention. He was young pic
In and II
and merciul. His passing will shatter many
hopes. 1t may wreck. for the time being. the
whole cause OF Irish freedom
~':ael Collins. without question. was one Of
the eight or ten outstanding figures in present.
day world history. He was the most romantic
individual to rise from the wreckage of the world
war A year ago he was almost UNKNOWN man
ot m stery- Only within the past few months has
his photograph been published in the United States
Every fact regarding him has been grasped at
with eager interest here.
Last year handful OF Irish rebels were fight
ing an apparently hopeless fight against the might
OF the British Empire. The names OF De Valera
and Griffith stood out as representing Ireland
But this handful OF rebels, ragged and poorly
armed was almost uniformly victorious The
skill 18th which their strategy was handled evoked
wonder and praise from their enemies 1t
became obvious that ordinary intellect was
directing the operations of this army Who was
the MAN? The name Collins crept into print
1t was suggestive. for months of shadow; This
mysterious soldier who had organized, according
to the confessions of the British themselves the
most marvellous intelligence system ever known
in the annals OF warfare. who seemed to have
charmed life. who everywhere land nowhere
was bound to attract interest. There was a sue-
gestion OF the supernatural about the man.
hen the Anplo-Irish treaty. TIL.
curiosity OF the world public was rewarded Col
Inns came out IN the open. These miracles it was
learned. had been accomplished by man still
under so, by a clean living Irish gentleman who
promised to become one of the most notable
characters in history.
The attention OF the public turned from De
vale a. from Griffith and the rest 1t rested on
Collins and has remained there ever since A
few years ago he was bank clerk in London.
Then he was in convict prison. In less than
two years his real lifework was accomplished In
less than two years he became one of the most
eonsummate military geniuses of all time and
probably the greatest statesman in Ireland's his
tory The great war colleges of the world for
many years will study the lessons Collins taught
in the art of This, certainly, is no small
accomplishment for London bank clerk
The loss is not Ireland's alone His death is
even greater loss to the British Empire 1t is
loss to the world. In the British federation of
states Collins was bound to have been one of the
outstanding figures for years to come 1t is inter-
estng and suggestive to compare him with Jan
christian Smuts-the earlier stages of whose
career were very similar and who is today, with
out question, one of the two or three greatest
statesmen in the world Collins probably was
greater man. Certainly he overcome greater
obstacles in more brilliant fashion. 1t is inter-
'estmg to compare him to Lloyd George-one his
greatest enemy and. at the time of his death, one
OF his frmest friends. He had all the tolerance, all
the brillianee and an the aggressveness that make
the premier of Great Britain almost the hone OF