The Evening Star MONDAY, MARCH 20, 1922. St. Patrick's Day Excesses.

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 4

The Evening Star MONDAY, MARCH 20, 1922.

St. Patrick's Day Excesses.

A favorite diversion of some political | ■ orators in America up to a recent time —if it does not I still continue—was that known as twisting the lion's tail. There was no particular season for this pastime; it might ho practised on any occasion; and as it did not hurt the- lion, and gave .some pleasure to the ridiculous persons indulging in it, perhaps it was more foolish than actually harmful as a custom. A similar extravagance has found favor with some Irishmen in British countries, who would make St. Patrick's Day loss a day for praising and honoring Ireland than for putting slights and affronts on their fellow-citizens, and, in the worst cases, giving vent to their apparent hatred of the Empire,'which has as much claim oil their loyalty as the far "island of sorrow" itself. American orators do not traduce their own country when they indulge in their favorite diversion at the Empire's expense. British citizens who mako St. Patrick's Day an excuse for Em-pire-baiting put themselves in a very different position when they elect to become their imitators.

A year ago we had cause to remonstrato with the P.oman Catholic Bishop of this diocese- for remarks, appearing to be an expression of pride in Irish disloyalty to tho Empire, made by him en tho occasion of last .St. Patrick's Day. It -would bo hard to imagine that last week's national celebration in Ihuiediu was not arranged with at least the secondary intention of doing violence to the loyal feelings of those. who mako up the great bulk of this community. The omission of the National Anthem from the proceedings, when time was found for the singing of both ' God Save Ireland ' and ' God Defend New Zealand,' tho last of which has no claim to bo considered as an equivalent for it, pointed very strongly in that direction. The majority of New Zealanders, however, like the stock from which they spring, are a tolerant people. If some Irishmen could loss their sense of humor so fains to make the professed honoring of a probably Scottish saint and the waTbling of Irish songs by singers not necessarily Irish an occasion for the pin-pricking of an Empire of which Ireland is still a part, the incongruity of that proceeding probably only added a relish to it for most of the audience. They could enjoy the music and the ebullient atmosphere of the gathering without even the reflection by which Bishop Whyte was saddened, that " so-called Irish songs heard in the music balls of London, and even in New Zealand," besides being worse songs than those which. Hotspur disliked from his dog, have small claim to be called' Irish at all. It will be a- heavy addition to the labors of Mr De Valera, Mr Erskine Childers, and their companions if they are to be called on now to make new songs—presumably in Erse—for Ireland, , while they keep their adopted land embroiled in trouble. The bishop's speech was not happy, as of a man rejoicing in new prospects of peace for his country. Surely tho task for Irish patriots to-day is to assist Ireland to get ahead with its own Government, and forbear from utterances which can only disturb what should be the happy relations of Irishmen with their neighbors. It was an unfortunate reference which the bLhop made to "lies" told about Ireland, for the vilification of Sinn Eein, by the cable service, when the 'Morning Post' has been complaining, and giving well authenticated exI anrples, of suppression by the British authorities of real news of its doings which tbait movement might be sorry to see published. But the time should be past now for such recriminations on one side as the other. A new day is before Ireland, if Irishmen are content to have it so, and its splendor will depend not on the keeping alive of ancient feuds, but on new co-operation w-ith the rest of the Empire. Tho remarks of Dr Liston, tho Coadjutor Bishop of Auckland,' at another St. Patrick's Day gathering, as they havo been reported, were not too strongly condemned by tho Mayor of Auckland as "avowedly and openly disloyal to King and country, and an affront to our citizenship." l)r Liston declared that ho was a New Zealander, and loved his country. If hifi sentiments are to be judged by those reported utterances, this country will be better without his lovo. The extravagances of Irish nationalism may be amusing up to a certain stage, but there is a point whore they have capacity for becoming extremely mischievous, and tho Mayor of Auckland has taken a step much in the interests of Irishmen by his reminder that a limit must be recognised.