MAN GOLD

Two questions here confront us before going from the mere dramatic
narrative of the rebellion to its critical consideration.

The first is, What exactly is Sinn Fein? and secondly, How far was the
rising actuated by German gold?

The words "Sinn Fein" mean literally "We ourselves," _not_ "Ourselves
alone," and, as the title and expression of a movement, are the
antithesis of what they term "Parliamentarianism," or "help from
outside": but I know no better definition of it than the passage in the
writer in the _Irish Year-book_ article on "The Ethics of Sinn Fein."

"We are always telling the Parliamentarians that we need not wait for
the Act of the British Parliament to make Ireland a Nation. We ought
equally to remember that we do not require an Act of the British
Parliament in order ourselves to become pure or temperate, or diligent
or unselfish. Our liberty--our real liberty--the liberty both of
ourselves and our country--is in our own hands. England cannot crush or
kill it, or even seriously injure it. England can only remain in
Ireland, indeed, as long as our character is weaker than her guns. Guns
are stronger than middling character. Against real character,
passionate, determined, and organized, they are less availing than
children's catapults. English domination feeds and thrives on weak
character. When every Nationalist makes his or her character strong and
self-reliant and beautiful, English domination will die from sheer lack
of sustenance. If you are weak of will or base in your character, you
are as valuable a support to the English garrison in Ireland as though
you hated the Irish language and imported all your clothes from
Yorkshire. _The only way to be a patriotic Irishman is to do your best
to become a perfect man._"

The necessity for individual action, to continue the illustration of its
spirit, is emphasized by a very wholesome phrase. It is that "the only
part of the Irish Nation which a good many of us have any chance of
setting free immediately is ourselves." In other words, no Parliament
can make a nation free--not even a native Parliament; or, as Arthur
Griffith puts it, "Every Irish man or woman's self is the Irish Nation."

With this no one of course would quarrel, but it does not follow, as the
Gaelic element in Sinn Fein seemed to think, that "every Irishman who
does not speak Irish is against his will a representative of English
Domination in Ireland and striking a blow at