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But more recently, during the loy–
alis t strike, the p rime minister
promised the Brit ish nation in a spe–
cial television appearance that Brit–
ain would "see it th rough" in
Northern Ireland.
However. there are observers who
believe the IRA will use increased
violence
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force the hand of the
government into withdrawing the
troops. Yet immediately following
Brian Faulkner's resignation. the
president of the provisional Sinn
Fein in the Republic, Rory O'Brady.
declared tha t a precipitate with–
drawal of Brit ish troops could leave
a Congo- type situa tion. He sug–
gested a phased withdrawal.
Thus it seems that two yea rs of
peace efforts have come to virtually
nothing, leaving lre land again with–
out tangible hope for a settlemen t.
Civi l War Ahead?
l f the British government at–
tempts to coerce the north into
union with the Republic. a ll in–
dications are that the Protestants
wiU fight to prevent it. Such moves
could easily involve the lrish in a
civi l war.
lnterviewed in Rosita Sweetman's
book
On Our Knees,
the then leader
of the Orange Order warned: " Be–
cause the Pro testants have been rel–
atively quiet up till now is due to
our disciplining, no t to cowardice or
fear. If it comes a step even towards
a united lre land, the Pro testants will
say, we've had enough. They' ll
come out with shovels and spades
and whatever is necessary. Like
Churchill said - we' ll figh t them on
the beaches. People haven't realized
the quality of the Northern Protes–
tant. lf a one third minority (i.e., the
Catholics) can wreak the kind of
havoc tha t the Roman Cathoücs
have, then think of what two thirds
could do if they decided to."
It may be impossible to leash this
people once they a re aroused. Al–
ready, politics a re yielding to pas–
sion. Extremists cou ld quickJy whip
up religious bigotry and ha tred if
the future freedom of Ulster were
seen to be seriously threatened .
PLAIN TAUTH August 1974
Will Peace Ever Dawn?
Hopes for peace are always shat–
tered by tomorrow's violence.
lt
has
gone on for centuries.
lt
threatens to
grow worse.
For centuries. lreland's politics
a nd re l igion have been inter–
mingled. To the lrish, the two are
inseparable. It ought to be evident
that in such a religio-poli tical di–
mate the only possible way to an
enduring peace must involve both
politics and religion. Yet the com–
bined efforts of both politicians and
religious leaders have proven totally
inadequate to date.
Thc United Nations has proved
woefully ineffective at enforcing
peace. Can we really believe that it
wou ld do any better
in
Northem
lreland than the British govern–
ment?
lt
certainly would accomplish
no more than the "containment"
which British forces are presently
enforcing.
No, something greater is needed.
Humanly devised governments 'and
re ligions have failed to point man–
kind in the direction of peace. They
have been unable to bring about
lasting solutions. We seek peace, but
we have war . The world is saturated
with violence. The Irish c{)nftict is
~~¡te//
the IRA - you are better to /ay
down your guns now and quit the
bombs, the destruction and the killing,
because if you don't quit we wi/1
destroy you!"
-
Jan Paisley
Every solution to the Irish prob–
lem so far proffered has met with
abysmal failure. For the moment ,
the British army is merely " keeping
the lid on" the situation. But j ust
how long will they be able to do so?
And what would ha ppen if they
were to pul! out?
Most studied observers believe
tha t if the British troops left, it
would remove the last vestige of
public order in the north.
Plainly, a fina l solution has to be
found. Through religion or govern–
ment, there must be a better solu–
tion to any so far presented! And
not only for Ireland, but for an en–
tire globe
in
which we find similar
majority-minoriry conflicts, whether
based on race, religion or language.
The Way t o Peace
Can we fail to recognize that a
superior force is necessary to con–
tain problems such as those North–
ern l reland is now experiencing?
but one of many violen! crises.
Too many in Jreland are resigned
to the reality of today's crisis. Their
only real hopes for peace are in the
concept of going to heaven. But
here is where we need answers.
The solution must deal with the
major issue head-on. l t must involve
both religion and government.
Jn our time, a world government
not of man's making will be estab–
lished .
ll
will teach truth to a ll na–
tions and peoples. That government
wi ll enforce a totally new way of life
on a ll na tions, including Ireland.
lt
wi ll be the way of peace and !ove
instead of hatred and bigotry.
Just how this new govemmental
system will come about is made
clear in our free booklets,
The Won–
derful World Tomorrow
-
What ft
Wi/1 Be Like
and
ls This The End
Time?"
Be sure to request these eye–
opening booklets. See outside back
cover tor address neares t you.
o
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