BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 9

BOOKS OF THE DAY

IRELAND'S VITAL HOUR, *

A recently-published book ' which should be welcomed by students of modern Irish history, is'"lreland's Vital Hour,"' by Arthur Lynch, M.P. (Stanley, .Paul and Co.) ■' Mr. Lynch's father, who hailed from an old family in Galway, emigrated to Australia;; and was Peter Laloic's first lieutenant in the historic affair of the Eureka Stockado at Ballarat. ' Knocked senseless by a- chip struck from a palisadd . by a ball, he was taken prisoner, and was to be tried for high treason ( but the troopers who hlid captured him declined' to identify him. The author's mother was a Scotchwoman, a M'Gre-- , gor, a kinswoman, it is claimed, ,of the famous Rob Roy. After studying 'at Melbourne University; Mr. Lyiich proceded to the University of Berliii, and later spent some time in Paris.. He is, the author of a number of philosophical and scientific works. Arriving in Engand taking an interest in Irish politics,' he threw himself into, the Nationalist cause' - with enthusiasm,-. and was soon in the thick of an election for Galway, his opponent being a gentlemac named Pinkerton, who,' he says, was "a Unitarian Ulster farmer who had- been taken to the bosom of the priests in Galway." \ The .ex-Australian was beaten by fifty-two votes, "beaten," ho tells us, "by ; the priests." All through his book, and notably and particularly in the chapter entitled "Priests 'in Politics," the author warmly denounces clerical interference in' politics. It is, reasonable to_ assume that the'clerical opposition which he .encountered in his first election* left a sore sting behind it. hilt some - of-- his - charges against the;,churches are surely too sweeping. He admits that many priests are honourable and tolerant men, but it is not long, before-we find him writing of "the i churches"- "I Jiavo never known them derive • their positions from' the Sermon on tho Mount, : nor draw inspiration from the' precepts of meekness therein contained." :Of the religious question generally as it' affects the Nationalist cause, -lie says:— 1

• Certainly the. priests - have great . influence in politics in Ireland; . they have undue influence, and it' must be the task of Irish. Nationalists to emancipate themselves from "that undue' t influence; if ever, they ' meant to lift*, tho country out of the slough of despond where it has' lain so long. - These questions must -be tackled resolutely. This is not the way of popularity, but it is tho : way of salvation for Ireland. - M''.. LynchV autobiographical chapter contains a brief reference to the author's experiences in the South African War. He seems to put forward ' tlie theory that because he is and was then ' a.professed Republican," he was justi- • t /i a taking up arms against the Bntash Crown. He says:— .i I fought,—l was. elected for Galway, 1 came to fulfil my mandate. r I was put on trial. I,was sen- . tenced; to death. Here, again, ' since it touches on Irish affairs, I will say thatythis'.trial was'a blun-.' der on the part of the authorities. No one in' the world, not even my enemies,_ could - believe that I had been guilty, of : ..treachery , to any % • cause y and the pompous, solemnity of high'treason: did not blind . the ■ world to the fact, etc. • But Mr. Lynch, so at least it may, sceni to not'a- few of his-readers, conveniently ignores' tho one outstanding and all-important-fact that he, a Bri£ . actually captained .a body or ills Majesty senemies, : and was "re--sponsible .for the slaying oficertain':bfiiis Majesty s soldiers. No 'sneers atthe , pompous. :solemnity; of ;.high :trea-, son will alter that fact, and' Mr Lpch in many of his chapters, shows himself so capable of distinguishing; between empty rant and : sound common' sense that: it is curious ho should have - sentences, just -quoted. ■ Whatever ia may have been in South Africa, Mr. Lynch, is'to-day a; loyalist,• .hut he tempers,-I fear,; his Idyalty by" a special consideration of Ireland's interests. He savs: "It is well to recognise clearly that jn tho event of attack by a foreign foe, it will always be policy, if. nothing higher, to fight, if not for England as England,' still in defence •or tJie whole, community. Ido not believe that this conditional loyalty' is truly representative .of present-day Irish feeling: It is not the spirit which aniniates Mr; John Eedmond's speeches; it is certainly not the spirit which J\as animated, and continues to animate, -he scores of thousands of gallant Irishmen who are to-day at tho front-." Mr. Lynch .discusses,. in successive chapters,• the " Aotual Conditions in .-the. "Irish .in,- 'America," i nests in Politios," "Irish Organisations" (with a, special chapter on Sinn I'ein, which, by. the way, he says has 'wobbled grievously"), ■ "Parliament," "Industrial Development" and "Education" (upon which he writes both . sensibly and well), on "Literature and Science,"- and on "The Ulster Question." His book will, I fancy, offend not a few Irish readers, for the author's egotism finds vent too often in the belittlement of thosewith whom he is not in agreement, and the air of omniscience .which he adopts is sometimes rather irritating. It is good, however, to notice that.on the whole ne stands for tolerance, and despite his anti-British propaganda of, the past, is shrewd and sensible enough to see that even under Home Rule Ireland's best policy will be to co-operate with England rather than perpetuate the old misunderstanding and ill-feeling. Ho deprecates the "silly notion" that all Ireland's woes have been-due to English oppression. He says: "We ought to be ashamed to utter the word. How, if all the stories be _ true of- our superior virtues; of our saints and scholars, when we owned- all Ireland and had the ball at our feet, 3iow, in tlie name of God. did wo ever besome downtrodden and oppressed?" lie remembers, ho tells us, "the baleful light" in his father's eyes "when ho spoke of the cruelties Irishmen endured in his day"; "but after all," ho adds, "neither' we nor the Englishmen we havo to deal with now have seen these cruelties. "We may have accounts of our own to settle. Well, let us settle them like men, and if possible like reasonable men."

On the question of tho future commercial relationships of Ireland ; and England, ho writes very sensibly "I oppose whipping up hatred against England. Any attempt to boycott English goods, any attemjrt to foster ill-feeling between the i-tvo countries, is to be condemned; but I see no reason why Irishmen should not bold their own in their own country, grow strong, not merely in not merely in intellect, but in position, knowledge, ncumen; and energy, so that instead of trying to build up a miserable Chinese wall of seclusion,' they may throw their, gates open to Englishmen, meot them on equal terms, beat them often, take lessons from them sometimes, improve good understandings always, and eventually in, mutual, support find l that each has

—James Thomson, advanced and strengthened the country he loves." • Mr. Lynch's book is essentially prolocativo of thought and discussion. Whatever difference of opinion there may be as to Mr. Lynch's theories and arguments, there is no denying the author tho possession of strong opinions, fearless and lucid "expression '-'of 'which makes tho ; volume exceptionally readable, (N.Z: price, J2s. 6d.) ; ;