A MANDATE FOR THE IRISH!
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOIL"J
Sia,—The Armenian mandate is going a-begging. The Irish race wants a country to govern. Why not solve both questions by giving Ireland the mandate of Armenia until such time as a plan is perfected by which the Irish may govern themselves ? 1 sympathize with the Irish, with all the Irish. I believe in self- determination as an axiom of political science. But the rest of the world is also in desperate need of self-determination. Pos- sibly the turning of Gaelic attention to Armenia might give Australia, Canada, and America a breathing-space to settle their own issues in their own way. The plan promises well also for Armenia. The Irish are specialists in ruling other people. They have acquired enormous experience in governing cities, States, even countries, not their own. They have, too, shown unquestioned genius for policing alien races. Look at any city in America and you will find Italian, Hungarian, Slav, and Jew living side by side harmoniously under the rule of the Irish policeman. Even the Turk and Armenian obey his word in New York. Why not in Armenia ? Another advantage of the plan is that it would probably unite all parties in. Ireland against it, and their union on anything would be an incalcu- lable psychological gain. The legalist will object that a mandatory must be a sovereign State, but surely a sovereign State may, by permission, appoint a proxy. The unimaginative will say that the proposal is too bizarre, but is it really more bizarre than the present situation ? I have enough Irish in me to wonder. At least, in view of the situation in the Senate, an American will perhaps be pardoned for suggesting one more solution in the desperate hope of achieving Home Rule for
America.—I am, Sir, &c., A VISITING AMERICAN. [Our correspondent's delightful joke shows, let us hope, that Americans are beginning to understand the Irish problem better than ever before.—ED. Spectator.]
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