The Washington herald., 1922-07-10

Continued from Page One.
faging of the rssue and the wilful
misrepresentation of Ulster.
Not only Great Britain but in
America and France there are
avowed republicans who are spread
ing fantastic stories about pogroms
against innocent Catholics and
contemplated outrages at Belfast.
These stories are circulated with an
object in view. 1 have denied them
time and again but they still go or,
their originators hoping that by
repetition the prejudice aroused
against Ulster will facilitate the end
for which they are working.
They form part of the plan of
campaign against Ulster by those
who wish to see her deprived of her
parliament AMI who have done their
best To destroy the machinery Of
government as set up in Northern
Ireland. Sometimes 1 wonder IL the
people of England ever tried to ap-
preciate exactly what the govern
nent of Northern Ireland means to
them--sIt Is a matter OF Importance
that they should know exactly what
II stands for.
Do they realize that this young
government which has been set
up in the North of Ireland is al
most as important to them as the
house of commons in London and
that II 1t is destroyed a vital blow
will have been dealt to the whole
fabric of the British Empire?
Do they realize that in Ulster
the oldest colony of the crown-the
things we have taken our stand for
and defend are just those things
every sEnglishman, Scotchman and
welshman regards as his rights
the rights of British citizenship?
1t has been our pride to share
those rights with our fellow coun-
trymen across the channel and to
defend them when they were chal-
lenged. Our blood has mingled
with theirs in the defense of our
island home when dangers threat
ened from without: our ideals are
the same as theirs. Our flag Is their
flag: our traditions are their ira
ditions; our literature is their lit
eratuFe.
Others want us to give up those
things Our reply is that we will
never surrender one of them or
place ourselves in a position where
by they will be jeopardized. That,
IL why said our young government
is almost as Important to the peo-
pie of Great Britain at this time as
their own parliament.
II Is in fighting their fight that
to US has come the call to resist the
first actual attempt at dismember-
ment of the empire If ever Ulster
had been driven from her position,
the work of dismemberment would
have begun. That is why what is
known as the Irish question is not
the old question that years of con-
troversy have made familiar to us.
The old issue was grave enough but
It was never so grave as the pres
ent issue.
In the old days the voice Of Ulster
was raised in warning against what
might happen If Ireland were grant
ed home rule. Today Ireland has
home rule and the events taking
place show how real those warnings
were. 1t may be that the wiser
counsel will yet prevail and that
the North and South will settle down
to a new arrangement for the gov
eminent of Ireland. On our side
we will do everything to forward
the realization to that end.
But in the event of that realiza-
tion being shattered and the attempt
Is made to destroy the government
Of the North which has no predatory
design on Southern ireland. Ulster.
will on her own behalf, and on be-
half Of the wider imperial interests
which would be involved. make the
same answer as any loyal English
man would make IL threatened in a
similar way.
Copyright, 1927