The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-03-11
OVER TWO THOUSAND DELE
GATES At RACE CONVENTION
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Americans do to help her win hel
freedom? Will you tell the govern
ment at Washington that in fairness
to Ireland it should allow ireland tt
import it's arms and munitions from
this country, just as England is i'm
porting them now?
ut is no more than right. Nor is il
any more than right that this country
of ours, the United States, should not
only countenance but help in floating
a loan of $10O,000,O00 to finance Ire
lands fight for freedom. We have
f1oated England's loans; why should
we not float Ireland's loans?
Right here in this hall tonight
are men who could subscribe to ST.,
100000 of that loan. The time is
coming when they will be called on
to do it. l hope that they will do
their duty"
This radical speech was loudly ap.
plauded, although in the declaration
of principles there was no mention of
armed opposition to England on the
part of Ireland.
THE Irish people," concluded Mr..
Devoe, will find that it is better to
shed their blood in the fight for free
dom of their own country than to
shed it for England on foreign fields. "
Justice cohaIan's Speech.
was made by Judge Cohalan, the &C.
knowledged leader of the Irish-Amer-
leans in New York. He was given
a reception which left no doubt as
to his leadership. He said:
Il heartily approve of everything
that has been set down in the decla-
ration of principles. l agree with it
both as an American and as an Irish
American. From my boyhood l have
been taught that the only country the
United States had to fear was Eng
land. AS I have gone through life
and had the opportunity to study the
question with a more mature mind |
have become convinced that what we
here in this country should always
watch was the force of England from
without and the wiles of England from
within.
There has always been in this
country group of persons who SYM
pathized with the vanquished in the
revolution and not the victors. That
group has played it's part in the poll
tics of this nation through many gen.
erations. There is now in this coun-
try powerful and shrewd body of
men working toward the creation of
sentiment to make it appear that the
United States should still be a colony
of Great Britain.
Against Alliance with Britain.
This group shall fall. The Irish
PEOPLE in this country have done one
thing, which even had they done moth
ing else, would prove their loyalty to
American ideals, and that is to pre-
vent England from persuading the
United States to enter into treaty
which would have made it possible for
her to have dragged us into this war
against our will.
"And the Irish Americans will con-
tinue to oppose such a treaty, because
we will always regard England as an
enemy; not as a friend"
The justice then discussed the par:
agraph in the declaration of principles
which asked that this government
warn it's nationals against taking pas
sage on ships bearing arms or ammu-
milton.
II trust, Mr.. Chairman" he said,
that we will not be drawn into this
struggle. 1 hope that this country will
not attempt to serve the interests of
England by insisting upon the rather
novel doctrine of international law
that ship bearing contraband of war
is safeguarded by the presence of
neutral passengers.
Demands Inquiry into Interference.
Il suggest that it would better suit
the situation If this country should
take up with England the question of
why she has taken passengers off our
ships; why she has stopped our boats
and taken the mail bags of this coun-
try from them; why she has super
vised our shipping and embarrassed
our manufacturers.
II sincerely trust that in the diplo-
matte struggle which is now going on
in this country the United States will
remain American.
II hope also that the day will come
soon, after all these centuries
of oppression, when the old land Of
ireland will take her place among
the nations of the EARTH"
The enthusiasm which followed the
Justices speech found a ready outlet
in the unanimous vote of approval
which was given the resolutions. The
convention then adjourned.
MCGUIRE ON POSSIBILITIES FOR
IRISH COMMERCE.
Ex-Mayor James X. MCGUIRE, Of