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THE
T
SAD PARABLE OF
HIB is the story of Mrs. Murphy, who went to her Dublin landlord to pay the wock's rent. "Faith, Mrs. Murphy," said the landlord, "it's re- Inlved I am to get it, but pwhat about last weck's and the week before that?"
"Last Week'st" exclaimed the indignant. Mro. Murphy, "If that isn't the height of ingrati- tudel Shure, if I hadn't been afther sellin' yer backdoor for firewood, yo'd 'ave whistled for This week'st"
That story might very well ilustrate the Anglo-Irlah dispute which is back in the news agalu-Britain nas collected its "rent," but only - at the price of its own backdoor."
The "rent" is the Land Annuities, and the backdoor the trade which it once had with. Ireland and which has now been chopped into Httle pieces.
Millions of non-Irishmen, Including my English friend James, do. not know what these Land Annuities are.
That was what caused the rum- ous in a Dublin hotel this week between him and an Irlahunan. Our Irish friend is also called
James"
but, being a fervent Nationalist, he spells it Seamus and pronounces it "Shame-us."
Whati cried Beamus, "You don't know what Land Annuities mean? Then I'll be telling JO----- It's the grit in the Irishman's dinner.
It's the pebble that's al- ways in his ahoe. It's the patches on his youngster's pants, It's his wife's hree-year-old blouse. It's the hole in his pocket that lost
It's
his money. It's his pig that died and the calf that was killed. the heel of the British oppres-
Stubbs Road sors.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
The family of the late Melania Joanna Bolciho wish to thank ail friends for their kind expres sion of sympathy, and the floral tributes sent in their recent bereavement.
The
Thongkong Telegraph.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1937.
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IDEALISM. AND REALITIES
*
And lots more in that strain. But, like so many Irlsk explanations." conveyed feeling more than meaning. So I, like the third part- ner in the traditional Jake about the Irishman, the Englishman and the Scotsman, had to try to trans- ate Seamus' plcturesqueness to Janies literal English mind. To this effect:-
*
Back in 1903 in Irish argu- ments start" Back in ——-” usually the 11th century) a Land Act was passed by which the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Belain and Ireland guaranteed. Bonda so that the farmers could buy back the land from the pro- prietors. The peasant farmer was in desperate straits: he could not pay the rent let alone buy the land himself from his landlord....
"Whose ancestors had stolen it from his, interrupted Scamus, "and who were for the most part
lving abroad on the revenues of
and they never saw....
Instead they were to pay
the interest on these bonds. That
was the origin of Land Annuities. "But, James," I explained, with a cautioning eye on Seamus, who mentally grabbed a shillelagh to
words were mentioned, "the Irish
resented paying the Annuitica. One argument, as Seamus said, was that the land had been stolen. Another was that Ireland had been overtaxed, for nearly a hundred years to the
of about tune
300,000,000 all told,
With a sincerity which is be- yond questioning, the Rev. J. D. MacLean, preaching at the Kow- loon Union Church on Sunday, put forward the viewpoint of the Christian pacifist, with which he is obviously in complete sym-clout someone whenever the hated pathy. His remarks, as might have been expected, have aroused considerable contro- It is doubtful, however, whether his idealism will be re- garded by any considerable body of opinion as bearing any prac- tical application to the realities of the present day. Mr. Mac- Lean is very perturbed over- Britain's re-armament pro- gramme. Let us quote some of his words: "England, through the lips other Government and the lead of her official Church, has renounced the Christian way
"This was based on export and independent evidence before two
Commissions. The contention was- that although the same taxes ap- as to Great plied to Ireland Britain. Ireland's taxable capacity was only a twentieth that of Eng-
land.
Let's come down to the Gov- ernment of Ireland Act of 1920, passed after the bloodshed and bitterness of the Rebellion, when Great Britain and Ireland were
panting for peace.
Mrs Murphy's Backdoor
-by-
RITCHIE CALDER
"Shure, if I hadn't been afther sellin' yer backdoor, ye'd 'ave
whistled for this week's rent."
"This act up two Home Rule Parliaments, one for the North and one for the South, and it provided that neither should pay the Arinul- ties-that Britain itself would meet the interest on the bonds,
"The North accepted the Act, and has never paid the Annuities.
"But the South was not satis- fled. They negotiated the Trenly -which-set up the Irish Free State. of 20 Counties. In the Treaty the Annullies were never mentioned."
There was no need," put in Beamus," the Treaty was to be an extension of the Act, and any benents of the Act remained."
"Well, anyway, two years later. President Cosgrave agreed,with Major J. W. Hills of the British Treasury that the Free Blatc should pay £5,000,000 a year to meet the Land Annuities and the certain other things.
"That was the agreement which Mr. J. H. Thomas, as Secretary of State for the Dominions, produced
suspended. payment of the Annuities in 1032."
De Valera denounced it as a secret agreement which the Irish' "Dall" (pronounced "Dawi"), or Parlament, had never ratined and which the British Government had no right to make.
"But Mr. Thomas took his stand upon it. In effect he said that the Irish had welshed.
skins, as they might have paid for tails to stop a rat pestilence.
"Cattle were killed of and tho meat given away to the poor. Land went into decay. The West became more and more depopulated. In three years, some 100,000 young people emigrated to Britain."
L'
Trúc, Mr. do Valery used the 'war' to hasten his pursuit of. National Self-Buffetency,' that is to say, he encouraged wheat growing,
back. brought
four- milling, established now Industries and scattered factories over tho country.
"Those now industries supplied goods that once came from Indus- trial Britain in exchange for Irish foodstuffs. British ports, once en- gaged in prosperous Irish trade, suffered,"
The
had "backdoor"
been chopped up for arewood. The Irish, like Mrs. Murphy, felt the draught, but that backdoor was valuable to Britain and dificult to replace, especially when other countries could walk in through the gap,
My explanations, however, were
บ
abruptly cut short by a fresh brawl.
James had .sald something funny
which annoyed Beamus.
The trouble with you Irish." said the nggrloved James, "is that you boast of your wit but have no Bense of humour."
"And the trouble with you Eng- lish," retorted Seamus, "is that you have too much pride and no sense of proportion."
the
Beamus, I think, is right. What Is needed is a sense of proportion. I have in front of me the Civil Estimates of the Irish Free State. Its total revenues are £27,314,783,
Contrast that with £800,000,000 of the British Budget. Compare it with the £5,000,000 Land Annuities which the Free State is expected to pay. That is. nearly a fifth of the total revenue of the Free State but it is barely one-one hundred and sixtieth af the British income.
Remember, too, that Ireland has a population of roughly 3,000,000 about a third of the population of Greater London.
"It
Even James admitted that seemed silly" to keep up this quarrel. Couldn't it be settled by arbitration?
Yes, Britain has offered to refer it to an Imperial Tribunal, Ire- land instated that it should be an international court. But better still it might bo settled by friendly negotiation.
But, I am afraid, it is not the £5,000,000 which is "sticking. In Britain's gizzard." Even Mr. Thomas urisald 11:5 "business arrangement" statement when he admitted two years ago that it was bound up with the question of the Oath of Allegiance, the post- tion of the Governor-General and the constitution of the Irish Free State.
Nothing Britain can do will change the new Irish constitution which is on its way. From 1 the- Oath and the Governor-General disappear. The King is never The Free State, so far mentioned.
ds its internal affairs is concerned, is to all intents and purposes a re- public.
But in its relations with the Commonwealth-It-acknowledges- the King as "symbolic head." After the Abdication it accepted George VI as such, And the sig nificance of that has not been fully appreciated. The Irish Na- tionalists acknowledged the King And it -by Act of Parliament, got the Imperial stateamen out of one of the most awkward jams they have ever been in.
Bo. as James and Seamus ult nately agreed, why cannot wo settle this family quarrel in the proper spirit, without bitterness and in that common goodwill which the common peoples of Britain and Ireland feel for each other? And, anyway. Britain can- not do without its “backdoor."
UNCONSCIOUS HUMOUR
comes
Two Irish farmers who had not met for a long time gathered at a fair. One of them informed his friend that he was now married. "You don't tell me so!" "Yes, it's the truth, and I've got a fine healthy boy which the neighbours tell me is the picture of meself." The friend looked at the rather unprepossessing countenance before him for a moment, and then camo out with, "Och, well, what's the harm as long as the child's healthy?"
and has undertaken the paths of temporary such lordship might when the De Valera Government murder and of all unrighteous-be must necessarily be a matter ness.... The present Govern- for speculation. It is to be ment has started us headlong to agreed that if all nations were an abyss of economic and spiri- animated by Mr. MacLean's tual ruin such as we have never ethles, and there were no aggres- known before.... Are we to be sors, armies and navies could loyal to Christ or to the British safely be abolished, just as police
"Instead of sending over troops CHILD humour is mostly uncon as Britain might have done,two" Government?" The impression forces could be if there were no
scious, but there is a naivete also years enter in stoly thou people of criminal instincts.
about some humour which ho started a blockade. left by these words is that, in
He shut from children of a larger growth, But we have to face the facts as out Irish goods unless they paid Well, John, did you take that letter determining to make good the they are. By Mr. MacLean's exceedingly high duties. He main to Mr. Johnston?" a merchant in- deficiencies in her defences, process of reasoning, a decision tained that this was purely a bual-quired of the office-boy. Yes, sir, ness arrangement, like putting in but I don't think he can read it," Britain has suddenly embarked by the Government materially to the bailiffs to collect a debt. But "Can't read it Why not?" "Because
where my hat upon some new policy. Opinions strengthen the forces of law and it has had the result of collecting he is blind, sir. He asked me twice and it was on was, my head all the time," may differ as to whether the cir-order so as to cope with the about £6,000,000 a year instead of £5,000,000-a handsome business
A lady asked danger of increased crime-profit,
a friend, "Does your and received the cumstances necessitate such
husband smoke?" involving thereby possible blood-
reply, "Oh, very little. He likes a
A salesman found a customer very large-scale expenditure, but even shed in a war on criminals-
cigar after he has had a good dinner, dimeult to suit with a cap. Nothing "Mr. de Valera retorted by but I don't suppose he smokes two ho showed seemed to be the thing, the Socialists agree that the na- could be described as indicating punishing British goods in the cigars a month.
The following is told of Matthew What kind of a cap do you want?" until almost in desperation, he cald, tion's defences hould be adequate a policy of murder; which, of same way-by duties and the
Arnold. While an inspector of
when the man meekly replied, for the preservation of its course, is absurd. We assume, War was on an economic war as schools, he had great dimeuity with
want one with the peak down the ralentless as armed force.
a country school an examination also, that the Christian pacifist "And, as in all wars and in all on English literature. They knew
back."
Which reminds me of the Northum security. To describe this at- titude; which is shared by the would, under no circumstances, { blockades, it has been the poor little or nothing. At last, ho called berland pitman who agreed to bring
people who have had to bear the out, “Who wrote Hamlet,” tell me
from Newcastle for his chum a pair usu physical force to repel a
brunt,
that?" There was silino answer until
of pit stockings-blua, with white- Government, as being tanta murderous attack on his wife or “Irish agriculture-itá staple in- out of the silence came a half- toes and tops, and at one and six the mount to embarkation on a his child. But there are very dustry was crippled and impover-frightened voice, "Please, sir, it wasn't pair. He found the shop all right,.
tabed. Britain was. Its main, me!!
but nothing shown was what he polley of murder is, we suggest, few people who would be pre- almost its only, market for cattle, That night, Arnold told the story wanted. "They were too straight," to strain the accepted usage ofpared to carry the Christian horses and farm-produce. The at dinner, and the host, who thought he said "We never have had any other worda. Seemingly, Mr. Maclean concept thus far. Mr. MacLean's stream of exporta dwindled to a there must be a joke somewhere, but kind," said the shopman, these will trickle Calves ware killed of at could not. see I ventured to say, be all right." "No, they winnn dee. and other Christian pacifists sermon may have been a correct the rate of 200,000 a year.
dono "And I suppose the little rascal had
never seen Goardio. Geordie's it all the time,"
Hem nad tlegged.". would be quite willing to see interpretation of the views of Government pald 108. each for
An American school teacher told The maid had not been giving autis- Britain render herself complete the school of thought to which
her pupils about her visit to England faction and the mistress began an ex- and mentioned, among the wonderful postulation. Your work, especially ly defenceless
aggres he belongs and may be ethically
ights she had seen, Lincoln Cathedral, of late, has been very perfunctory. afon. He argues that it does not sound, but, by the majority of
A girl inquired, "Has England got a Before she could get any further sho Lincoln Cathedral?" "Certainly," said was staggered by the girl's reply, matter who exercises what ho people, his theories will be re
the teacher,
or, and it is one of the most "Thank ye kindly, mum. I've been describes as temporary lordship garded as utterly Impracticablo
brautful of all." "Say." went the here: nearly alx months now, and] girl,="wasn't-ft:furt sweet of them to that's the first bit of praias I've had. our material. Jives. How in prevalling world conditions.
call it after him?!!!
OVOT
The
Today's Thought MEN have been wise in very. A diferent modes; but they have always.lauplied the same 1001, BAMUEL JOHNSON