OurVictorianLetter
Melbourne,June22,1920. Asfarasthebodyofthepublicare concerned,thebigstrikeisover.No morearemealsinbasementrestaurantsservedwithcandlesonevery table,andwithanattenuatedmenuto boot,nomoredocitizenshavetowalk unaccustomedmilesandhalf-miles wheretheywerewonttojumpona tram.Thankstotheinterventionof Melbourne'sLordMayor(Cr.J.G. M.L.C.)preciselyinbehalfof thecommunity,thecommunity'strials areover.Astheresultofaconference, theMelbourneCityCouncilgranted themainpartofthetermssoughtby themen,andtheirexamplewasfollowedbytheMelbourneElectricSupply Company.Publicutilitieshavethus beenforthemostpartrestored. Butacuriouspositionhasnowarisen.TheMelbourneGasCompany.a wealthycorporation,hasrefusedto concedetothestrikers,anditsattitudehasbeenfollowedbytheChain betofManufacturers.Membersof thesebodiessaynowthatthequestion ofraisingwagesisbesidethepoint: onemansaidthattherewasnoserious objectiontothat,becauseitwouldbe passedontotheconsumers!Theysay, however,thattheyarepreparedto fightfortheprinciplesofconstitutionalism,andtheycannot.therefore,give wayundereverythreatofastrike,or eventhecarryingoutofastrike.Even Mr.JusticeHigginsseemstoleanto thatview.forhespokerecentlyofthe dangerofgivinganyconcessionsduringatimeofstrike.Toupholdtheir battleforconstitutionalism.theCham herofManufacturershaveindulgedin the"directaction"ofdeclaring"black" allelectricityproducedatpresent.That meanstheyallshutdowntheirworks, and,ofcourse,theirformeremployees areleftunemployed.Itissaidthere arenow23,000unemployedpersonsin Melbourne. Tomakeacounter-moveagainst thisdrasticaction,TradesHallleaders arecontemplatingcallingageneral strikeoftransportworkers,andwe. shalllearnwithinthenextfewdays whetherthiswillbedone. ProfessorontheSocialOutlook. Thefactsasabove-mentionedmake sadreading.Industrialunrestkeens onspreading;thereisnosignofits corningtoanend. Iheardalecture to-dayfromProfessorMeredithAtkin son,thewellknowncontributorto Stead'sReview,uponthisstateofaffairs,andhegavealargeamountof blametoLabourleadersforit.Why, hesaid,havetheybeenforsolong agitatingsimplyforincreasedwages? Wages,"nominalwages,"areuseless, unlesstheybuywhattheworxerneeds. anditispricesthatareofmoreconcerntohimthanwages.Professor Atkinson'sconclusionwasthatforall publicutilitiesboardsofindustrial controlshouldbeestablished,comprisingrepresentativesofemployers,employees,andthepublic.Heemphasis edtherepresentationofthepublic,if onlyasameasureofprotectingthe communityfromsufferinginconsequenceofquarrelswithinanindustry. Likeothersofus.healsostressed theneedofischangedoutlook,oneof practicaloptimism.Hedeclared,for example,thatitwasuselessforthe workerstokeeponsayingthatpoliticalactionseasafailure,when30per cent.ofthepeoplefailedentirelyto makeuseoftheballot-box.Ifthey madeuseofwhatopportunitiesthey had,hocontinued,theworkerscould makeofthiscountryanymortalkind ofStatetheychose:andiftheydid not,itwasasignthattheywerenot fitforcreatinganyothertypeofState. ThePositionofCatholics. SomeofthiscriticismthatProfessor Atkinsonhaslevelledagainstapathetic workerscouldalsobeturnedagainst Catholics.Itisnotforme,norfor anyone,tobelittlethemagnificentachievementsofCatholics.Butoncertainpointstheyaretooslow-moving andapathetic.TakethepasistioaoftheAustralian CatholicTruthSociety.Thiswasestablished15yearsagobydirectionof thewholeAustralianhierarchy,ithas producedmagnificentliteratureinthe interveningtime:andyet,inthewhole ofAustralia,only700Catholicsareto befoundwhowillsupportittothe extentofanannualsubscriptionof fiveshillings. Takeagain,andmorevitally,the matterofCatholiceducation.Spurred onbyourpriests,andnuns.andbro thers,whobearsomuchoftheburden.wehaveestablishedamagnificent systemofeducation.Weknowthat theState.isallowingusallthewhile tobearadoubleeducationalburden. andyetwhatdowedoaboutit?Well, wemayacceptthispartofProfessor Atkinson'scriticism,thatwedonot makeuseofourstrengthintheballot box.Hadthisbeendone,Catholics couldlongagohavegainedcontrolof theLabourmovement,butitisdisconcertingtofindthatjusttheopposite hashappeased,andtheLabourleaders, speakingforthemovement,aremore hostilethanevertowardstheChurch. andrefusetolistentoadiscussionof Itsrights.Itisnotsufficientlyenlightened,andnotenoughisbeing donetoenlightenit. Thispointismostimportantjust now.forStateelectionsarecoming, andtheCatholicclaimswillunfortunatelybealmostwhollyleftoutofaccount. -F.J.C.
May.,1920,
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ofnecessitybearmuchfruit, especiallyinEnglandandwhereverelseitcirculates.Whileseveralofhis argumentsarequestionable,andindeedwrong(towardstheendofthearticle),generallyspeakinghisremarksareanunmistakableindictment-against theEnglishGovernmentanditsmethodsinIreland.Heiscalmbutdeliberate,andemploysmagnificentphraseologytodrivehispoint.Itis anindicationthatmuchEnglishthoughtmidfeelingarebeingdirectedsympatheticallytowardsIreland.
Itisunfortunate,withal,thatMrHarrisonshouldrobhisargumentofa littleofthefairnesswhichcharacteriseshismanyandpoignantreferencesto theIrishsituationby,inthefirstiastancedemandingthattheIrishmust bethefirsttobedisarmed:byvoicingthesuggestionoftheprobablevicti misationofProtestantsintheSouthbytheCatholicmajority:and,thirdly. byhisadvocacyoftheremovaloftheeffectbeforehewouldtouchorinterferewithitscause. DisarmtheIrish!Apartfrompatriotismamidprinciple,theuniversal predominanceofhumannatureunderanyformoftyrannyisevertobeex; pected.HowmuchmorelegitimateisthisundesiredbutcertainlynecessaryretaliationinalandwhoseGovernmentisnotonlymilitaristic,consequentlytyrannical,butdownrightdespotic?DisarmtheIrish! To whatextentaretheyarmed,anyway?-forsurelyitcouldinjusticebesaid: "Fortheircause,thegreatertheextentthebetter."
Again,statisticshave,anddo,overandoveragainprovethatthetolesanceofthethreeSouthernProvince:ofIrelandisbynomeanscounter balancedbylikeconditionsinUlster.IfthesecountieswereasproportionatelyProtestantastheSouthandWestareCatholic.therecouldbeno reasonfordisparagingUlster'sclaim.Buta-hatofthefacts?Protestants certainlydooccupyprominentpublicpositionsintheSoutherncounties,and outofallproportiontotheirnumericalstrengthascomparedwithCatholics. althoughasisknown,theyareCatholicswhoactuallyallotthesepositions! WhereasUlster,whichisrepresentedasalwaysbeingdowntroddenandfearfulintheeventoftheSinnFeinNon-Partitionpolicycomingtopassthat theSouthwoulddominatetheNorthattheexpenseofUlsterProtestantism.
Whatmakethisargumentreekwithinsincerityarethecorruptmethodsemployedtomisrepresenttheposition.IsUlsterProtestant?What doesitmeanwhenProtestantsnumber900,000andCatholics700,000-forthey arethefiguresconcerningUlster-inonecornerofIreland?ItisbigotryandOrangeismthatmakeitmeanotherthanitisinfact:acomparatively evenly-dividedpopulation. Thenthereistheothersideofthestory.AnIrishUnionistM.P.,writinginanEnglishjournaljusttohandsaysthatintheSouthandWestthere were400,000outofthepopulationconcerned-3.000,000-whdaalthoughUnionists,werenotaltogetheropposedtotheSinnFeinpolicyofNo-Partition. butwhoseinterestshedemandedshouldberespectedandprotected!What claim,then,inthenameoffairness,hasthehugeCatholicpopulationof Ulsterfortoleranttreatmentinthisrespect?
Buttheclimaxisnotyet.ThepresentdaymethodswhichEnglish menemployareinseparablefromtheold,oldEnglishwayofgettingridof theadversary,andthentellinghimtokeepthepeace;whileEngland "administers"justicetoallexceptthoseinwhosepresenceherpoliticalphilanthropywouldbeadifficult,wellnighanimpossibleproblemtodispense.Mr. Harrisonisnotjustwhen,undertheexistingcircumstancesheasksthat everyatomofoppositiontoEnglishmethodsinIrelandbewaived, AFTERwhich,hesays."removeCastleRule."Itisasimplecaseof causeandeffect.Removethe"Castle"fitst,andsomegoodmightresult. However,wesincerelycommendthefollowingtoeveryreader.Itisa wonderfulcollaborationofdetailcouchedininteresting,readable.andvery plainlanguage.-Ed.] Inhisarticle."FruitsandUsufructsoftheTreaty,"MrHarrisoncommencesthus:TheeffectsoftheTreaty-ofmilitarismarenowmakingthemselvesfeltin universaldisorderanddecline,social andeconomic;andalreadyweinthis countryhavebeenfacedwithtwo crises,theoneinIreland,theother whatmaybecalledthe"incident"with France.LetusfirsttakeIreland, whichisaHomeconcern.Tothose whotakethetroubletoascertainfacts andstillretainsomebalanceofjudg ment,Irelandisnowrecognisedas Britain'ssupremetestofcivilisation andofeunpire.Largely.AmericarefusedPresidentWilsonbecauseof Irish-Americanhostility.andto-day Americaisdriftingawayfromusbecauseofourrefusal'togranttoIrelandwhatwegrantedwithsuchcon spicuoussuccessinthecasesofCanada.Australia,andSouthAfrica,The reasonsforourinsularblindnessare twofold.First.notoneEnglishmanin fiftyknowsthetruth,orbothersabout it;secondly,theproblemisreligious.It is.acuratelystated,Ulster'sreligious hatredofCatholicIreland,whichUl. sterpoliticianshaveskilfullyidentified withEnglishpolitics.Thesemencon trol.WeinEnglandremainmoreor lessindifferent.Theparadoxis,that whereasalloverEngland.Protestant clergymenaretryingtoCatholicise theirChurch,UlsterfightsCatholicIre landonthegroundthatitreflectsEnglishChurchpolicy;whichverypalpab lyitdoesnot..
ThespectacleofDublintellingthe RosarywhiletanksandEnglishsol dierswithbombsandbayonetsfixed guardMountjoyprisons,wherenearly onehundredCatholicIrishmenliedyingofself-inflictedstarvationisunique. EveninRussianosuchscenewas everenacted,andperhapsthestrangest thins;aboutthisshameisitspitifulness.Innocityintheworldarethe poorsopoor,the"slums"moretruly awful,theconditionsoflifemoredegrading.Innocountryarethepeoplesosweet-temperedormorenatural. lygentle.Andyet,thispicture, which,wereMr.Griffithtoscreenit. wouldknockthe"AuctionofSouls" Sadismsilly,tookplacewithinaday's journeyfromLondon,whileMrBoner Lawgravelyannouncedthatthelaw musttakeitscourse,andforeignjour nalistsstoodintherainwatchingDublin'smobofpoorfrightenedgirlsand relationsofthedying"tellingtheir beads,"hour-byhour,whileEngland dancedandgolfedand"striked,"and inParliament
That
thepithof
An OrangeCastlemerelyaggravatesthe difficulty.SincethedaysofCromwellwehavetriedforce,andithas failed,andwillalwaysfail,asministersadmittedtwoyearsago.What, then,istheexplanationofthissinister stupidityonourpart?Whydowe dothisun-Entlishthing?. Theansweristobefoundinmilitar. ism,whichhasturnedtheheads,of politicians.TheCoalitioncameinto intheendweshalldestroyourselves. powerasitssymbol,theTreatywas madeasitsexpression,basedonthe secrettreaties,andMr.LloydGeorge, whilomBritain'sdemagogue,iscaught inthetracesOftheteamheconjured uptovotehimback,andcancrackno otherwhipsbuttheirs.Andsoin Irelandwehavereturnedtothe"big stick."ViscountFrench.flashing searchlightsonMountjoyPrison,apparentlythinksheisstillcommanding theforcesattheProust,andthathis imperiousdutyismilitarism.Tanks promenadetheoncegaystreetsofDublin.Possesofarmedpoliceandsoldiersintrenchhelmetsparadethe city,whileSinnFeintellstheRosary andsecretsocietiesmurderpolicemen. Tothispasshastheprincipleof"self determination-come.Thecrowds whichpressedroundPresidentWilson inhistriumphalpassagethroughLondonareto-dayapathetic.Irelandis ruledbypolicemen.AndallthisbecauseIrelandasksfortherightofselfGovernmentaccordedtotheBoersin SouthAfrica,whichUlster,beingProtestant,refuses;thatisall.Wehave returnedtothedaysofreligiouswar. Irelandisthe'pureexampleofthe medievalattitude. Unlessradicallyadjusted,thenew Billwillhelpnoside,andquiteprobablywassodesigned.Onlynewmethods basedonthedominionstatuswillbring aboutpeaceandorder,andaconditionalstepistheremovalofCastle rule.Ifwhoevernowisinauthority -SirHamerGreenwoodorSirNevil Macready-weretoremovetheCastle, andplaceSinnFeinontheirhonour forthemaintenanceoforder,areal stepforwardwouldberegistered,but somuchwisdomdoesnotseemlikely. Yetitistheonlyway.Irelandno longermeanstousadomesticdifferencebasedonaconflictinginterpretationoftheScriptures.Irelandisabsolutelyourtestofcivilisationandof ourImperialcontinuity.Weshall connectwiththenewworldthrough Ireland,ormoveasunder.OverIrelandweshallmakegood,orweshall fail,andifourpoliticianspossesseda sparkofstatesmanshiptheywould giveIrelandDominionHomeRule,and disarmbothsides,andwithinavery shorttimetheywouldfindthatthey hadsettled,notonlyIreland,buta necessaryworldprinciple.Thestrategic argumentsmilitatingagainstIrish HomeRule,ifhithertovalid,areno longerso.Withwireless,submarines, andaircraft,Irelandcannotbeaelan gertous,evenifhostile,forshecould beringedinamidstarvedout,and couldnottrade.Thereisnodoubt aboutthis.Thestrategicargument falls.Theothergreatargumentis alsorapidlylosingvalidity,forSinn Feinisnotareligious