, 1923-06-04
GOOD NEWS FROM


De valera, beaten TO q fraZZle,
now discovers that "seven years of
intense efforts have exhausted our
people," He issues his proclama-
ton to his followers to that effect
and his "chief of staff" bids the re-
publican warriors of Ireland dump
their arms-not laying them down
as conquered soldiers do. but dump
ing them in pretendedly secret
places.
1t would have been well IL De
Valera had made the discovery of
the sacrifices and sorrows" Of the
Irish people much earher-before
so many of the roads and railways
and bridges and homes of the coun-
try had been wrecked, and a gener-
alton educated in crime, and the ma
ton Impoverished in its
De Valera exhibits great sorrow
over the ~sufferings that his follow
ers must now face unarmed. He Is
himself the cause Of these suffer
ings. He owes a terrible account to
the Irish people.
Nevertheless the people Of Ire
land are to be congratulated on the
promised cessation of hostilities. If
De Valera now makes use of his
craft and skill in concealment he
will probably take himself out of
the country. The Irish people will
also have to be congratulated on
his removal, but not the country
to which he will remove himself,
If he is able to escape. Doubtless
he will be a source of disturbance
wherever he may be. So far as his
possible selfremoval to the United
States is concerned, it is hard to see
why he should not come under the
terms of u immigration law, which
excludes from admission all aliens
who belong to groups who advocate
or attempt to practice the ~assassi-
nation of officers of any organized
government on their removal by
force or violence; for although De
Valera may have been born to Unit.
ed States citizenship, he can hardly
claim the cover of that citizenship
after assuming to have been the
president of the Irish republic"
That the government of the Irish
Free State should not now he honest
ly and mercifully intent upon heal
ing the wounds Of the nation in
every possible way is not to be be
lieved. Toward the honest dupes
of the Republican" leaders it may
we'll show itself to be lenient.
These Republicans" are in a minor
ity, and a small minority. Perhaps
they will make a demonstration of
attempted political protest in the
new election which has been de-
creed. But the Irish people have
already definitely accepted the Free
State and the settlement out of
which it grows, and there is no like
lihood that they will REVERSE their
utIlrlOh. All cru pL ItCOTSLTuCllOn
will undoubtedly dawn for the coun
try. The people are industrious,
hopeful, earnest. It will take many
years for the country to recover
from the wreck of domestic and
faction warfare. In certain dis
tricts-by no means everywhere
a generation has been reared in a
murderous form of brigandage. But
the moral and religious influences
of the country will vercom this
blight, hideous as it Is. The people
of Ireland have an opportunity to
be free. 1t only rests upon them to
take the opportunity.
Peace in Ireland will be a boon
to the world. That beautiful coun-
try has often and ill~ustriously prov
ed that 1t has n mission of inspira-
ton for mankind. With the remov-
al of this menace Of death and dis
order, 1t will move forward to fulfill
its mission.