Evening star., 1922-03-08
by FORREST DAVIS.
ial Correspondence of The star and Chicago
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Special Correspondence of The star and Chicago
Daily News.
DUBLIN, Ireland, February IL
Hatred of England and the English
is singularly absent from the Irish of
the free state, so far as 1 have OBJ
served 1t.
A visitor unaware of the fierceness
and passion of the recent war would
have difficulty finding outward signs
of 1t today. Not that the Irish people
are inarticulate. They are anything
but that. But, while they speak
been English excesses, they speak
without rancor.
English people come and go as they
please without let or discontinue.
The streets of Dublin and garrison
towns are still plentifully sprinkled
transporting English soldiers roll by
without comment from the Sidewalks.
On a recent Saturday the English
rugby football team came to Dublin
to play the Irish team in the British
Isles international series. l went
manifestation of Irish displeasure.
An immense crowd was present-some
said 10000. Nearly all were Irish, a
majority Sim Feiners. no doubt. The
roomy stands and banked slopes of
the oval were jammed inexpressibly.
given over to the compressed mass of
standees was a Tommy in uniform
and carrying a swagger stick. Other
English soldiers were scattered here
and there. The transchannel team
hurried on the field first, clad in
each jersey. The crowd set up an
amiable roar. Friend Tommy in
front shouted Good old England"
and waved his stick. A moment
later the Irish fifteen cantered out in
green jerseys. The multitude cheer
ed trifie more Justify for their
champions and Tommy clapped his
hands decorously.
During the game. which is some
what battling to eyes. accustomed to
| American foot ball. Tommy and his
fellows and few civilian English
men within hearing sang out Good
old England" occasionally. The
Irishmen Kept up cries of Come on.
Ireland!" But partisans of both
sides were equally ready to bestow
commedatfon on individual feats,
giving tongue to such exclamations
player caught the bali; and "Oh, very
good. sir!" as a general praise Of ap-
prevail
The crowd swayed as individuals
tried to better their positions and
occasionally spectator slipped on
bad humor. One excitable little
Irishman nearby yelled out exuber-
antly as forward wearing the
green was speeding toward his goal
posts. "They can't bring him down
any more than Lloyd George could
bring US down." At once his neigh
bor. a Gael also, spoke to him.
We're playing foot ball, not poll
tics" he said. No one about paid
any attention to the incident
If the two nations cannot get on
politically. they have no trouble
athletically.
But this is not an unrelated Incl
dent At the vaudeville theaters,
known over here as music halls, the
majority of the acts are English,
though more often than not there is
an American headliner also. The
Irish accept these English turns, even
to jokes about Anglo-Irish relations,
with as much enthusiasm as their
merit deserves. Skits delivered in
broadest cockney are relished and
Irish audiences are uncommonly
ready at grasping the point. 1 was
at the Gaiety the other evening to
see Ian Hays "A Safety Match" an
English play acted by an English
company. The audience which filled
the house was moved by it COM
pletely. though 1t had something to
do with the rector and English
politics and Protestant hymns were
sung to heighten the climax.