The Washington times., 1922-08-25

Tor AN interview. 1t was 10
o'clock that evening at the Gra-
ham Hotel.
Wrote Him Letter.
After waiting fifteen minutes after
the appointed hour to get a message
"too busy" I fired the first gun of
my own battle with Collins in the
form of a note saying:
Dear Mr.. Collins:
you invited me to see you at 10
o'clock. Word is now brought you
are too busy. Is this the answer you
wish to send the 15.000, 900 readers
Of the Hearst publications in Amer
lea? TALBOT"
Inexcusable-made doubly impu.
dent by not closing 1t in a envelope,
but sending the singly folded sheet
with Michael Collins scrawled on
the outside-yet Immediately came
back this time the note with the fol-
lowing reply written in one corner:
Il thought said 1890, and will
be down at 1890. Please walt and
oblige. M. c."
was ashamed. To me then came
q glimmering of what later, wnen I
had learned to revere the man was
to know as his chief characteristics;
IN almost subliminal greatness. 1t
was greatness in big things that made
him Ireland's leader; it was greatness
in every little thing that enshrined
him in every Irish heart-and in for
all time. When he appeared I fol-
lowed him upstairs; he took The stairs
two at q time, for he was the en-
bodiment OF speed, both mentally and
physically. Down a long corridor I
followed him, and was to learn later
that this was the headquarters OF
the leaders of the present Free State
government.
Griffith Was Writing.
We passed through a room where
Arthur Griffith sat writing. He only
Rlanced up, saw that Collins was the
Intruder, and resumed his writing. In
the last of the ten communicating
rooms Collins halted. l took note
that the door to the passageway was
double bolted. Collins said:
Have a drink7"
Now, for the first time. I saw the
Pr'nt of a smile in his eyes. Collins
himself wouldn't drink. but he lis,
tened for fifteen minutes while told
him the importance Of taking he
public into his confidence. More
than n dozen times during our talk
Interruptions came in the shape OF
erim.visaged. alert youths who stuck
their heads into the doorway; came
10 Collins side at nod, and depart
ed with a whispered word.
was present at the first secret
conclaye of the leaders after the
signing Of the treaty. In the last
of the ten connecting rooms was
witnessing, without knowing II at
the time, the working of a scheme 10
force an adjournment Of the nalI TO
conduct
their campaign Of education for the
treaty. Michael Collins, sitting
there with me, had his hands on the
levers of the Dali Eireann.
Discuss Suggestion.
When I had finished stating my
case Collins sat for a space, staring,
weighing, perhaps, the consequences
of his departing from his established
policy Of silence. As though he had
reached a decision, he sprang to the
door. There he turned and said: DO
you mind II I bring Mr.. Griffith in?
and without waiting for my answer
he left, to return a moment later
with Mr. Griffith.
For fifteen minutes they discussed
the advisability of my suggestion
for publicity. 1 might have been in
the next county for all the attention
they paid me, but at the end Collins
tore "a few pages from his notebook,
and when he had finished handed
the result to me. / cherish those
two little pages Of closely written
words. They were my interview
with Collins, written by myself.
But they are more than interview.
They are rough, quick word-drawing
of the man. One hundred and fifty.
eight words only, and in them you
have Michael Collins and all Of Ire.
lands past and his hopes for her
future. Read ,them-read Michael
Collins boiled-down autobiography:
"At a late hour 1 talked with
Michael Collins. He was reticent.
had little to say. and was reluctant
to say it: He supported the treaty
and stood for 1t. He was not very
concerned with oaths. He was con.
cerned about getting the English
out Of Ireland and having a chance
Of going ahead to rebuild the Irish
nation.
HE is full Of hope and buoyancy
and although he is well aware that
the treaty does not mean full free
dom, he states emphatically that IT
does give freedom to show the Irish
capable Of making their national
r bJatuS secure ana btTOHB.
Hopeful for Future.
HE says he is the practical man,
and he looks forward with hope to
the future, with confidence in the
will and strength Of the Irish people
to make themselves a nation among
the nations.
"He thinks Of Ireland as a home
Of freedom for the individual-a
place where men and women shall
be really free"
Back Of the self.limned. picture
created by these words can you see
Washington, or Jefferson, or Lin
coin or Emmet? Or can you see. as
I do, the reincarnation in a single
person of the best of all those long
since departed patriots2
did not see Collins again till
the night of March 4, 1922, the
night following the day of bitterest
recriminations the stormy sessions
of the Dai! Eireann had yet pro.
duced. Charges Of treason, thick
and stinging as hail stones, had
been showered at Collins and Grif.
fifth. De Valera had denounced ref.
erences to his document 2" and