TROUBLED WATERS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 March 1917, Page 6

TROUBLED WATERS.

(To the Editor.) .'.mi', i have read several loiters in your papers ni recent issues Ist to 7th m.st. ■ vimo lire i!)D passionate to view the issue in a fair in lie »uoih citizens we should always eiiileiivoi:) in settle matters m differences by a system of auieliuraiion. If eacii side look this course, then ;,'oneral lieuelit must ensue. At the outset I may stale that ! am of Scotch Welsh extraction, nnii my three score years of iifc have :;iven me a -real inis tlio minorities of the different sections liiiii aio frcpioutiy faulty. 1 liave had a practical insight of the trails of the sarins.s people that constitute the British Europe, and am prmie tn believe that the English people are lite most inclined Lo work for tiie beitormc'nt of humanity witi,out thought of seif. country, or creed. i sav this iu spite of the fact 'that J am of Scotch extraction ami have many of my kith and kin thai arc Irish. The Scotch frequently arc rather clannish and \\-a- irish, liUhmijrh a brave and excellent people, some of them are often too excitable and take umbrage where none is meant. Some years au,o there was a riot at Belfast, Ireland. caused by a real true, horn and bred Irishman ujvim; a concert in which he portrayed the Irish character very efficiently. It; however, affected some Irishmen' in a manner that they caused a groat disturbance. The orator pointed out "that it was wrong of his own countrymen taking the view that many did "(Lis attempts at irish mimicry, most of winch was really witticisms creditable to Irish peonle, occasionally there naturally would be instances that delineated a faultiness with something Irish but did not, these instances arise with all people? He pointed out that the Scotch had much against, them in this respect, yet. Harry Lauder was able to face his people with great applause, for his efforts to indicate his people's faults, and then, again, the English had many of their songsters and the celebrated "London Punch" portrayin- the idioms that arose in England. The people there did not take offence, but rather they treated it as a lesson for their own improvement. Let us all try and do likewise. I have never heard Englishmen speak ill of Irishmen to the extent that I have known Irish to refer to the English. Why this is so boats mv comprehension, as those put in power bv the British Government., viz., Magistrates, police, etc., consist oi more Irishmen than do Linv other single section or the people. If these divisions were obliterated in a true and whole-hearted manner bv Irish. Scotch. Welsh and English alike'it would be foi the betterment nl the whole world. In mv youth my friends and 1 wed to join heartily m a son-, part of which read thus: Oh! the Queen of Merry England, the Hose upon its stem. Shall twine, with Erin and Shamrock, around her diadem ; While the Thistle of Scotland shad no or forgotten be : . , Oh! the Queen of Merry England, what .Queen so blessed as she. ] would like all Britishers to inculcate such a spirit as these lines indicate have no hesitation in saying that I feel certain that if every Irishman had done so for the past 50 years that Ireland would this riav have been (with all her advantages) as rich as Denmark is from the Luglish markets, and the people of Ireland would be all happy. I do not know either "Patriot." Mr P. Mulrennan, or Justice." I am, however, satisfied that Mr Mulrennan misunderstands "Patriot s_ meaning, especially the word "Canaille. There may be found the low class in every country, but it would not necessarily follow-" that ■ I or any person need regard that it applies to us. My idea is to Hd ourselves of anger and bitterness, be ready to help in the right of humanity, even' as the "Crusaders" did centuries a'-o. yours, etc., — i'. 11EATON PARKE. West Coast, March 9, 1917: