The Evening Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1918.

Evening Star, Issue 16676, 7 March 1918, Page 4

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1918.

Mb Johx E. Redmond, tho Irish Nationalist Leader, is dead. Death Of Wo are unfcignedly sorry to Mr John know it. Ireland, at this Redmond, stage in her history, could have better spared a, better man. For 35 years and more the statesPlan -whose death it is our duty to record Jias been a conspicuous figure in Irish history, and through all the varying fortunes of the Home Rule party a loyal servant of the British Empire, no less than of the cause to which he had devoted his life.

V There was a time, particularly in the early | years of hi 3 political history, when the i* name of John Redmond was nearly as ' hateful t» tho average British politician as was that of every other Irishman who dared to contend, to £ho exclusion of every other political question, for the right of Irishmen to conduct.their own domestio affairs, free from the dictation and . interference of outsiders. To the average intelligence to-day such a demand has long been regarded as not only eminently reasonable, but its opposite as tho negation of elementary justice and tho perfection of

'-. -unwisdom. Yet it took one-half the public ' - lifetime oE Mr Rednond and of the Irish Nationalist party to convince a majority of the members of the " dominant party" that there was comix on sense as -well as common justice in granting their request. " What Mr Redmond and. the Nationalists - contended *or all along was the absolute

. right of the Irish people* to direct their - ©wn domestic concerns as they thought "' best, through iheir own locally-elected ; Parliament, and free from what they re- .<;• garded as the blighting and destroying in- ■/ oi DubJda Cas±l» .

It is an old story—though, doubtless, even in these terribly anxious times, when not only the futtu'o of Ireland but of that/ Empire-of which it forms a part hangs in the balance, it is 0:1© which will bo many times retold—how, thanks mainly to the patience, the persistency, the ability, and the tinquestioned loyalty of Mr John Redmond, the majority of the peoplo of England were not only converted to the- justice of the Irish demand as presented by him, but that in Iridi Home Rule, as expounded and taught by.him, lay the one sura hope of peace for England as well cs Ireland. The years 1912, 1913, and the- first halfof 1914 were trying and crucial; but tha net result was the final passing of Mr Asquith's Bill granting Home Rifle to Ireland, which, however, thanks to ths House of Lords, could only become law by virtue of tho Parliament. Act, which took the power of to'o out of the hands of the Lords. Never had the Irish Question seemed nearer solution, and never had Home Rule been nearer final achievement. Mr Redmond' was at the height of his fame and popularity. Ths work of a generation was on. the eve of being crowned with success. We well remember Mr Redmond saying that " nothing short of a miracle can prevent the Home Rule Bill from becoming the law of the land." And the miracle happened. At 12 o'clock on the night of August 4, 1914, Great Britain declared war against Germany; and from that hour till this one tho Emoire, in common with the rest- of mankind," began that ceaseless vigil from which there" is present no apparent sign of relief. Irish Homo Rule was once more deferred, and the hopes of its ohampious again dissipated.

Yet, bitter as the blow must have boun to the Nationalist Leader, it is possible to assert that never, perhaps, at any time tnroughout the course of his long public career had he stood in higher regard among all classes and parties in the United Kingdom than during these last fateful war years. He proved, if proof wore wanting, his loyalty to tho Empire in Ways that surprised tho timid and delighted his hosts of friends and wellwishers who had long known the sterling worth of the man. On August 3, before England had taken the one irrevocable step, Mr Redmond declared from his place in the House of Commons that the Government might withdraw all their troops from Ireland and leave it to bo defended by the Nationalist and Ulster volunteers working loyally together. The great outburst of cheering with which his words were greeted would, we think, hav been many times renewed had the Government followed the subsequent advice of tlus true -patriot rather than have listened to their own doubts and fears, and «o brought Ireland to as sorry a pass as her own worst enemies could wish. Mr John Redmond was spared Ion? enough to see much that he had lived and labored for reduced to mere dust and ashes; to feel that his hiffhert ho F e S hsd not been realised, and that the Ireland for which he had toiled for a generation, travelled the world, and suffered ignominy and slander, was no nearer that union of hearts and desires than when a youth in his earlv prime he had pledged himself to her'service. Ireland, owes much to John Redmond, but not more than does England. In both, especially of late, he had bitter haters as well as constant friends. Of the first, at this hour, we do not care to think. Their passions and rancors disturb us not, and the dead cannot feel them.

Tis we who, lost in stormy visions, keep V.ltn phantoms an unprofitable strife tie has outsoa.red the shadow of our ni^ht Envy and calumny and hate and pain ' And that unrest, which men miscall delipht ban touch him not and .torture not again.