New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08
Iron The Tribune Bureau


Washington, Jul " 7.-"lreland could
never be too free for u.s." declared I.
P. O'Connor to-day, in what he said
was the most important interview he
had given since his arrival in the
United States.
ireland" he said, Should be su-
preme within her own household"
Mr.. O'Connor stated that he had
strong reason to believe that neither
Mr.. Bslfour nor the British statesmen
at home were left in any doubt as 10
the unanimous and ardent support OF
Home Rule by the people and by the
government of the United States" He
hoped Irish people in America would
not give their support to the "impracti-
cable demand for an Irish republic and
help to keep Ireland in disorder and
chaos"
Mr.. O'Connor discussed the prospects
of a permanent settlement Of the Irish
question through the Irish convention,
the probable influence and action OF
some of the strong elements that will
enter into its composition, and the prac-
teal way in which Irishmen in Amer
ics may be of service. The interview
follows:
"what about the convention, Mr..
O'Connor"
"Well, see with satisfaction that
IL fno n
nounced for July %, and that practical
ly all the preparations for 1t are COM
plete."
Would you venture a guess or a
speculative forecast of the result Of
the convention"
what | think the convention ought
to do is for the Nationalist to offer
freely, without even being asked, every
possible safeguard against the appre-
Observation-Disclosures but sincere
which the Orangemen entertain of in
reference by the Dublin Parliament
with their liberties, civil or religious.
would be willing, for instance, to in
crease the representation Of the urban
districts; that would do good all over
Ireland, for / see some danger IN
mere farmer Parliament; it might be
too conservative; an increase, however,
of urban representation would give
more additional members to Ulster
than to the rest of Ireland.
For More Unionist Members
al would also give larger represen-
tation in the Senate TO the Unionist
forces of the country. Finally, have
heard a suggestion that there might
be in Ulster and in the South OF Ire
land provincial councils for dealing
with purely local affairs, both of these
councils. Of course, being subject to
the National Parliament in College
Green. don't quite like this sugges-
ton, but il has the backing of several
very important men in Ireland and IN
more than one party. | would, IN
short, give the Orangemen any fair
concession but one: No Irish Nation
alist can now accept, even temporarily,
the partition of Ireland in any shape"
"Will the 0rangemen still hold out
for the separation of the ulster
Orange counties from the rest OF Ire
land and from the control of the Dub
lin Parliament"
al cannot say. II you had asked me
that question some months ago | would
saw they probably will; now | cannot
saw. The world forces which are now
behind Home Rule, the abanfonment
of the Orange position by even the
strong Tories in England who formerly
supported it, the peril of the empire,
the pressure Of American opinion, the
pressure Of Mr.. Lloyd George and the
labor section of the Ministry, all these
things cannot remain without influence
on even the Orangemen, with all their
dour impenetrsbility and they may
prove more tractable in this conven-
ton than they have hitherto been.
Southerners Against Partition
81 have not mentioned, however, a
force that has even greater influence
on the Ulster Orangemeh than these
great outside forces | have already
mentioned. That is the pressure from
their own co-religionists in the other
parts of Ireland. There is large
representation of the Southern Union
ists-Protestan for the most part
in the convention. They are TO a man
against partition and for very obvi
Gus reason-they do not want to GO
into a parliament in Dublin, mainly
Catholic in its membership. without
the assistance of their big Protestant