The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-21
The New Ireland.

rtmh
-o,uIarIy elected government comes
- mower for the first time in $50
-.rs 1.-The abhorred castle has
..u become Irish. and it is for
,r,sh to make of it. u they can, the
.orrce and center Of a. free and
liable government"
thus the New York Times ex-
.,ssses the general feeling of the
II s,nerican press that with the for
-stion of the provisional govern
mi under Arthur Griffith and
,GcbaeI Collins. and the formal
~;thdrawal OF British control. the
,ature of ireland lies in her own
ends that it is now up to the Irish
themselves to determine whether
he tradition of "the most Distress
l frI country" shall continue or pass
i,to history. Admittedly England
must keep her end of the pact" as
II he Scranton Times insists, but so
| ssr there is every reason to believe,
H ,ha New York Herald declares, that
england herself is coming through
II cuickly and right with Ireland"
and has gone far ito convince any
.tiIl doubtful Irishmen that the
british government is sincere in
ts uurpose not only to obliterate as
much as possible of the regrettable
nast hut to put absolute trust in the
GOOD faith and will of the people
II OF Ireland.
III aCrucial Test for Irish.
III And with the transfer of power
II 10 the new government comes the
II crucial test of all newly organized
II peoples," says the st. Joseph (Mo.)
II News Press, that of giving support
II to their government. This is a
II task which will require all the
HI brains and all the good will of the
III Irish people" So serious a test is
II II that the Peoria Transcript looks
upon il as mot the end. but the be-
II ginning of Ireland's domestic trou-
II bles." But while agreeing that sit
is period for sober, serious think
ing among the people who are be-
II ing ushered into new racial
status in the world" the Dayton
II News is not fearful of the outcome,
II for "no race passes from condi-
ton which existed some months
ago and which has been aggrava-
ted for centuries, into the present
situation of Ireland, without ac-
cepting a good many menacing
problems which seem to clamor for
solution all at the same time"
Much will depend. of course. "
the Richmond News Leader thinks.
upon the strength of the follow
ing that left the Dali Eireann with
de Valera If the minority is
strong enough to be dangerous, Ire
land still has dark days ahead, -
Il and in the measure of the minor
ity's failure or success will the
immediate history of Ireland be
told" the Christian Science Mont
/ tor adds. De Valera still believes
4 that his ideal can be attained and
Il therefore he opposes the treaty
/ and the free state, and the Aber-
4 deem S d. World objects to con-
4 demning him for continuing to fight
Il for his convictions with IAN uncon-
/ querable fighting spirit that ELECTS
admiration" from the Birmingham
/ News But even his supporters
have reached the conclusion. with
the Lexington Leader. that the
ent type at the head of affairs, one
with a more manageable temper
and more moderate views, capable
Of facing realities and recognizing
them when ideals become airy
nothings'," and who. the Kalama-
700 Gazette adds, understands "the
necessity at this time of political
team work" For IF Erin is to
have peace, if the free state is to
be established without civil strife,
the Seattle Times feels that "a
strong man must seize the reins
and hold them during the coming
months
Grifith Well Fitted.
That the Dali Eireann has cho-
sen Just that man in the person OF
Arthur Griffith is the feeling every
where expressed in American pa
pers. The Philadelphia Record
finds him by every test the one
man in Ireland best fitted to bridge
the gap between the old order and
the new. Sim Fem was the child
OF his brain" AS its founder his
nationalism is unquestioned," the
New York Herald says, and fur
ther "he is a master OF political
science" AS such the Buffalo News
is confident that he will not, emu
lating that rider described by
Stephen Leacock." Jump madly on
his horse and ride rapidly in all
directions" Rather he has, accord
ing to the New York World, "a def
mite program and a clea; under
n Standing Of how it shall be put
INTO effect" and, the Cincinnati
Times Star believes, the construc-
i've spirit and the ability to take
NE material of the house torn down
and build according to new plans
Griffith has already demonstrated
ms political astuteness and mas
tery of the mechanics of state
mood" the New York Herald points
cut, by remaining at the head OF
q Dail Eireann while making Michael
collins head of the provisional gov
eminent Explaining further. II
| says:
There is considerable political
einerence between the south Ire
and parliament and the Dali. 81
though the same group controls
ooth The parliament, under the
.efms OF the treaty. consists OF al
Ae men who were chosen from
southern Ireland to the British
aoase Of commons at the last gen
RAJ election. These include the
sun Fem men and four Unionis'
members. This parliament is en-
| powered by the treaty to set up the
l. ITOyfcSnraN