Evening star., 1949-10-18
McLemore CHALLENGED on Column
Belittling England ~ Colonizer
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McLemore CHALLENGED on Column
Belittling England ~ Colonizer
To the Editor Of The Star: So
Henry McLemores column from Dublin
(Star. October I'D describing the gloating
Of the Irish over Britain's present predica-
ment not only does grave injustice to all
decent, fairminded Irish people, but is one
Of the most distorted and one-sided express
sions Of prejudices and ignorance that it
has ever been my misfortune to read. Mr..
McLemore would far better have remained
writer on sports. a field In which he had some
knowlege. When, to use his own words,
he attempts Ito get philosophical" he Is SO
out Of his depth that his statements would
be laughable II they were not capable Of
causing great harm.
England can be fairly accused Of many
mistakes in her administration Of Ireland
and India, as many an Englishman would be
ready to admit. When, however, Mr.. Nc
Lemore makes the wild statement that Eng
land Is the worlds worst colonizer, then
as fellow American citizen would like
to ask him the following questions.
l. When Mr.. McLemore was finding. with
such apparent ease, all the polo fields and
golf courses In India. how did he happen to
overlook the fact that the entire legal system
OF courts and administering justice was
established by the British In India? Did he
overlook the schools, hospitals, sanitation
system and native police forces also estab-
lished under British jurisdiction?
2. In reply to Mr.. McIemores challenge,
to name just one colony that stood up" for
England In the last war. 7 will name as
q starter Cyprus, Ceylon, Jamaica, Mauri-
thus and I will tell him that when unable
to send troops overseas, there was no in
stance Of . colony failing to make its contri-
button to the war effort. will also give him
the names Of several dominions he has over
looked. Though independent countries and
in no way obligated to stand up" for
England they came to her side In this
war as quickly as they did tn World War I
when they did not have full dominion
status. These countries were Canada, Aus
tralia, New Zealand, South Africa and parts
Of India.
s. Did Mr.. Mc1emore ever hear Of the
fact that the British forfeited entirely their
right to the use Of ports in Southern Ireland
before the last war? And that they never
tried to regain the use Of these ports, though
they would have been of inestimable aid
during the war?
4. Has Mr.. McLemore ever heard at all of
the existence of Northern Ireland and espe-
cially OF its loyalty to England during the
war?
am glad that Mr.. McLemore speaks of
the courteous reception the Irish give to
visiting Britons, laughing quietly while
they pay for cream and butter with de-
valued pound" He obviously enjoys the
fact that 1t was the English who took the
rap, and the Irish who have the butter and
cream. I suggest that Mr.. McLemore re-
tire from Journalism, remain permanently in
Ireland and devote himself to dairy farm
ing and the study of history.
CATHERINE N. YERKES.
He Says Key Bridge Should Have
Been Built Across Roosevelt Island
To the Editor Of The Star:
There have been many deserved compli-
mentary remarks In the Washington papers
about the Whitehurst Freeway between
Washington Circle and the Key Bridge,
costing $3.400,000 for the sole purpose Of
avoiding driving through Georgetown over
M street. q
1t should interest the people OF WASH
tngton to know that If the advice Of Arling-
ton residents, including the writer, before
the appropriation committees Of Congress
as to the proper location of the Key Bridge,
erected a generation ago, had been followed,
this entire expenditure could have been
avoided and there would have been far
better service between Arlington and Wash
ington.
Residents Of Arlington urged the bridge be
erected over Roosevelt Island ending at
about the juncture Of Virginia and New
Hampshire avenues within half q mile of
the White House, stating they knew Of no
one In Arlington who wanted to go to
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