The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-06-02
Certain to Be Dominated by British
Government.
(Irish Press and News Service.)

(lrlSn PfeSS and News SerVlce.)
Analysis of Lloyd George-Redmond
convention plan by the following COM
mittee of the national officers of the
Friends of Irish Freedom:
Victor Herbert, President; Thomas
Adds Emmett, Vice President; James
X. Mcclure, Chairman Executive Com
mittee.
Excluding from consideration the
intensive and highly colored state
ments which have been cabled to the
newspapers, manifestly designed to in
fluence public opinion in America; al
so, excluding the fervid declarations
of members of Parliament-there is
but one concrete proposal made by the
responsible minister of the crown that
can form basis for any ineligible COM
ment
This proposal, reduced to simple
terms, is (a) that, because of the fail
ure of all attempts to arrive at a set
Element on proposals which emanated
from British government, the present
government invites Irishmen them
selves to put forward their proposals;
Co.. for that purpose the government
proposes to summon a convention of
1rishmen to submit a constitution for
the government of Ireland within the
Empire; (c) the convention will be
representative of the local governing
bodies, the churches, the trade unions,
the commercial and educational inter-
ests, and Sim Feiners; (d) the basis
of representation from the various
bodies and the method of selection of
the representatives are undetermined,
but from the context it is reasonably
inferable that the government is to
appoint the delegates; (e) the conven-
tion is to be held behind closed doors
and the chairman is to be appointed
by the crown; (f) nothing but special
war considerations would induce the
government to take up the settlement
of the Irish question at this time.a~
A fair and impartial analysis of the
foregoing provisions will convince the
unprecedented mind that the proposal to
allow convention of lrishmen to
adopt a constitution for the govern
ment of their country is illusory and
deceptive, for the following reasons:
First: 1t excludes all means and
opportunity for the adult population
of Ireland to give free and unrestrict-
ed expression of feeling and opinion.
Second: 1t limits representation to
certain public bodies, professions, in.
terests and classes, which in the ma
jOrity of cases are either under gov
eminent control or susceptible to it's
influence.
Third: It in no sense can be a
representative body with a mandate
from the people to speak for them.
since it's members will be government
appointees, and consequently care will
be taken that majority will repre-
sent the government.
Fourth: The inclusion of the mis-
called Sim Feiners is specious SEM
blance of generosity, since among their
bravest and most gifted are those con-
demned to imprisonment, whose voice
and influence would be as useful and
potential as were the voice and influ-
ence of the warning Beers who were
invited to council in South Africa.
Fifth: A convention chairman ap-
pointed by the government would to
all intents and purposes be a govern
mental instrument, having in his hands
the whole machinery of the conven-
ton, the formulation of rules and pro-
cedure, the use of arbitrary power
without responsibility and by reason
of the secrecy surrounding the pro-
ceedings the authority to suppress free
discussion and bar public criticism, so
alive body.