The Times of Saturday published a long letter from Dr.
Cohalan, Roman Catholic Bishop of Cork, about Mr. MacSwiney. The letter is a typical product of the Irish mind. Any stranger who read it without knowing anything of the history of Ireland might easily be imposed upon by it. It is a capital instance of making the worse appear the better cause. Incidentally, Dr. Cohalan resorts to some very discreditable arguments about the late Colonel Smyth, who, he says, " was shot on account of the programme of police action which he propounded to the police at Listowel." " Undoubtedly," Dr. Cohabit. adds, " the Irish Government is responsible for his murder by retaining him in his office after that deplorable speech." Colonel Smyth, as has been proved, was murdered not because he gave unjusti- fiable orders to the police, for he did no such thing, but as the result of a campaign of deliberate lies. Bishop Cohalan's assertion that the Government must bear the guilt of the murder is simply to relieve the assassins of a guilt which belongs to them alone. In spite of the excuses which the Times makes for publishing the letter, we very much doubt whether Bishop Cohalan ought to receive the encouragement which publication undoubtedly gives him.
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