New-York tribune., 1922-08-23
BY Forrest Davis

Mickey" Collins was q brave man.
All Ireland will say that, and all
England, too, for his itnpudent dare
deviltrias during the trouble were as
veil known III the major isle as In the
smaller.
And he was as valorous a man while
head of the provisional government a.
ever he was in days when he was "on
the ran' and alternately mncking and
defeating the British, although his
courage was of the less spectacular
sort in these later times. s His warfare
against the British was guerrilla in ma
turehe could cut and run after each
sally. But after he moved into the
CITY Hall and became tho chief de-
fender of the treaty he was compelled
to stand by every day and oppose HIS
former &c conarades with patIence, mod,
GRAFTON and resolution. 1t was lighting
Q, fanother brand altogether; and until
he recently took the Geld against the
rebelfious forces OF De Valera it was
altogether passive.
He proved himself to be man of
steadfast moral courage. He and Grif-
nth went through many trying weeks
when they pursued their non-res.stant
course, refraining from opposing the
violence Of their opponents with their
full self-controi; indeed, no phase Of
Irelands. recent history testifies so
brilliantly to the capacity Of her lead
ers to govern.
Faced Armed Rowdies
recall one test of Coilns's passive
bravery that is telling case in point
he spoke at Cork one Sunday in early
April for the treaty. 1t was the second
large meeting Of the Free State forces.
The first had passed off quietly enough
the Sunday before in Dublin, but at
Cork serious trouble was threatened
and it materialized. Thousands were
at the open-air meeting from the coun-
ties of Cork. Kerry, Tipperary and
Waterford.
The crowd gathered amid omens Of
disorder. Small knots of men, sullen
and armed, came early. When the
speakers, Collins among them, took
their places on the stand few shots
were fired. Later as the speaking be-
gan, these few increased to the proper
tions of,a fusillade. The cracking. came
from all sides. The speakers tried to
talk. the crowd stood srill, fearful of
moving. A few venturesome disturbers
came right up under the stand and
thrust their pistols almost into the
faces of those, on it.
Collins came to the edge Of the plat
form and stood there erect, carelessly,
smiling, looking over the heads of the,
men firing at his feet as if to reassure
the crowd The smoke from the old
fashioned guns curled up and about his
face He stood several minutes with,
out moving. His expression of ease
was no affectation and the disturbers
sensed it and departed. There were
fanatics among the gun men and he
knew it.. 1t was magnificent gesture.
Folk Women Pray for Him
Tales of Collins's daring are legend
ary throughout Ireland. Women in
back-country cottages spoke of his
deeds under their breath and NUT
tered prayer for him at the same
time. Even the British officers ad-
mired him when they weren't swearing
at him for fresh coup
But because he came to eminence
during ethe trouble" when his move
ments were circumscribed and his So
cial relations naturally limited, he was
unknown to- all but few Irishmen
The boys of the "fying squadronsv
knew him, but their parents and sis
ters, the merchants, farmers. bankers,