The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1923. IRELAND: OPTIMISM AND PESSIMISM

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 30, 2 August 1923, Page 29

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 1923. IRELAND: OPTIMISM AND PESSIMISM

F there are pessimists in every race, we are inclined to think that the Irish have more than their share of them. During the struggle against English misrule, from 1916 to 1920, it was no easy matter to keep up our courage and our hopes in’ presence of all the Cassandras around us who maintained their wailing cry that “these young fellows were ruining Ireland.” However, often hoping against hope, we kept on telling our friends not to despair and that Ireland would win through in the end. Hope was harder to hold when the trouble broke out after the Treaty among the Irish themselves, and when, because. we were consistent in standing then as before for the right of the majority of the people to determine what form of government they wanted, we lost not a few friends and were attacked by not a few who equally attacked us when we stood for a majority of the Irish people who were driving out the English. The worst of the turmoil is over now, and the clouds are breaking in Ireland’s skies. If we have been the only paper in New Zealand to defend the right through thick and thin, the only paper to put the truth fearlessly before the public, the only paper to organise funds for Irish, causes, whether for the fight for SelfDetermination or the victims of English and Orange brutality, we are also the only one that has reason to look back with satisfaction to-day on its consistent fidelity to what pessimists condemned, and opportunists deserted as a lost cause. _• * It is no lost cause now. It is true that all has not been won, but the victory has secured for Ireland more than Redmond or Parnell or even Henry Grattan thought possible, and given her, in the words of Arthur Griffith, the substance of freedom and the right to control her own destinies;- Six or seven short years have brought the imperishable cause a long stag© forward on the road the end of which for all patriots is the full freedom of Ireland. The darkest days have now gone down and the dawn of long hopes 1 seems to have come /beyond all doubt. ' Here and there - some pessimists still proclaim that Ireland, can never recover, . that the signs of peace are illusory, .that the Irish proved the moment they Had a chance their incapacity for self-government. We are pleased to be able to add to our own rejection of suph croakings the opinion of an . expert, such as T. P. Gill, who writes in the Manchester Guardian a

reasoned exposition of his faith in Ireland’s future He knows Ireland,' perhaps, better than any living man; of his patriotism and honesty there can be no doubt; hence, his words have the ring and authenticity of a gospel of hope. His optimism is based on his observation of what Irishmen have done since amelioration of the repressive legislation which crippled them in the past put into their hands the power of doing something for their country. He has seen, and has been the directing force in, the agricultural and commercial and technical revival which has made such strides since the beginning of the present century • he ' bears witness to the ability of central and county and district councils and to the remarkable harmony with which men of all creeds and classes have worked together for the country s good: “These committees of ours have by custom been composed of men of all parties and creeds in each locality. They have worked together with notable harmony and enthusiasm and shown ability for constructive compromise. I look to the young men I have seen bred up under the educational agencies of the Department’s system-experts, instructors, inspectors, administrative officers, scientific investigators. I have seen no stronger or finer material turned out by any country:” He has confidence in the ability of Irelands Civil Service : “I have seen a good deal of the Civil Service of other countries. In every quality which goes to make an administrator of the huffiest grade I put the Irish civil servant second to none • and there is no more vital guarantee for the good government of a country than the quality of its civil servants ” In Ireland’s commercial and industrial leaders, he finds the best of material, potential and actual.”’ Thus, the Irish joint-stock banking system is, he says, one of the best managed and most successful in the world, as those who have investigated it and compared it with the credit, systems of other countries have testified Irish transport systems have, under great difficulties, given . proof of efficient service such as won the praise of British and foreign experts. And, in general, “business men of organising power and enterprise to rise to new opportunities are to be found in every part of the South of Ireland. One might, go through the Southern* towns and counties and make up a list from personal knowledge of such men,—commercial men, manufacturers agi iculturists, county - gentlemen-on which’ any Cabinet could safely draw for effective material for the direction of national affairs. I think that actually since the Treaty and in spite of the distractions of the time—indeed, because of these distractions—the country has been proving its governing capacity.” * Continuing his review, this expert professes his faith in the ordinary workaday citizens of the country, in the Labor leaders, in that brotherly spirit which he found at heart in all Irishmen, and asserts his confidence in Ireland’s future. He knows what he is talking about; he was invited to write for the Manchester (ruardum because he has a world-wide reputation as a man of ability and insight. Hence, his optimism is something to be taken into account and' set against the pessimism of people who do not know what they are talking about and whose opinions cany no weight with anybody. He looks around him with eyes that see and utters a prophecy which in part is already fulfilled: The first stage towards national co-operation will soon be reached in the restoration of order in the South. The next will be a process of active evocation, on both' sides, of the sentiment of the- people, for working unity and moral concord—and that process also will be forthcoming. Then, with life and property and the liberty of the citizen to pro about his lawful occasions once made reasonably secure, the Irish people may be trusted to respond to the full* and as soundly as any people to the stimulus of freedom and autonomy.” ’