Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-22
Chapter XXXVIII
Attitude Toward Carson

| Of the attitude and threats Of Sir
Edward Carson, leader of the Union
list forces in the British parliament
when he read the following state
ment of Carson carried in the Amer
lean press after the passage Of home
rule through the house Of lords
"In the event Of this proposed par
Lament being thrust upon US. we
solemnly and mutually pledge our
selves not to recognize its authority
I do not care tWopence whether this
| is treason or not"
| Discussing Carson's utterance, the
| president. said: II should like to bt
in Mr.. Asquith's place. I would
show this rebel whether ne would
recognize the authority of the gov
eminent or f1aunt it. He ought tt
be hanged for treason. If AsQuitl
does not call this gentleman's bluff
the contagion of unrest and rebel
lion in Ireland will spread until only
a major operation will save the EN-
| pire. Dallying with gentlemen o.
this kind, who openly advocate rev
olution, will only add to the Difficult
| ties. If those in authority in Eng
land will only act firmly now, theil
| difficulties will be lessened. A little
| of the firmness and courage of An
| drew Jackson would force settle
ment Of the Irish question right
| now"
The president did not agree with
| the friends of Irish freedom in
| America that coercive methods put
upon England through the instru
| mentality of the United States could
| accomplish anything.
When he left for the other side
to take part in the peace conference,
! the future of Ireland was much in
his thoughts. But his solution OF
| the problem lay in the establishment
Of a forum under the League of Ma
tons before which not only the cause
of Ireland but the cause of any op
pressed people might be brought to
the judgment Of mankind.
Some Significant Letters
Ireland's affairs were always in
the background of the president s
thoughts, and he welcomed converse
tions with those who were in a posi-
ton to offer helpful suggestions.
| append a correspondence, intimate
in character and now for the first
time Exposed to the public view,
| between the president, Mr.. Sidney
Brooks, a noted English writer, and
| myself:
Friday, April 20, 1917.
Dear Mr.. President:
After several months in Amer
lea I am now returning to Eng
land, returning, I need not say,
a ha0nU Y0nn6 and wit
the consciousness that the rela-
lions between our two countries
are at length set fair. There
is nothing nearer to my heart
than improving them, and 1 be-
lieve I see how they could be
improved, and particularly how
the last great obstacle to their
betterment-I mean, of course,
Ireland-could be lessened; if
not removed. / should very
greatly value an opportunity of
setting before you some views 1
have formed on the matter, if
an opportunity could be found
before the arrival of the British
commission.
leave Washington on Sun
day and sail for England on the
IO1IOWlIlS OuI 1AOI' \
| trust, without being able to pay
you my respects and say my
adieu in person.
Believe me, dear Mr.. Presi-
dent,
Yours very sincerely,
SIDNEY BROOKS.
The President, the White
House.
In forwarding this letter to the
president, l accompanied it by the
following note:
The White House.
Washington, April 20, 1917.
Dear Governor: / just had
little talk with Sidney Brooks,
who says he has been in CORE
spondence with Lloyd George
and Lord Northcliffe with refer
ence to the Home Rule question.
He believes that just a little
push by you in your private
talk with Mr.. Balfour would put
over Home Rule. He says if you
could bring home to Balfour the
amount of American public SEN
timent which favorS it, and how
a denial of it is working to the
| disadvantage of England in this
| country, II WOulu Hldhe d SIedI
impression. He says after the
war there will, of course, be
great and generous cooperation
between England and this coun-
try, but that there will never be
| genuine cooperation between the
people of America and the peo-
pie of England until the Irish
| question is settled. Sincerely
yours, TUMULIY.
The president replied to me in
he following note:
Dear Tumulty: Conf1dentially
for I beg that you will be care
full not to speak Of or intimate
this), I have been doing a num-
Der of things about this which
hope may bear fruit.
THE PRESIDENT.
John D. Crimmins, leading Irish
sympathizer, addressed the following
letter to the president:
Washington, D. c.,
April %, 1917.
MY Dear Mr.. President: The