The Irish standard., 1917-08-25

Jul uASIAu5ulSueu 1ellOW-c1LlZo0 anu
Judge Of the county court, Judge Soul
ly, who is presiding over this meeting.
The Very Rev. DR.. McCabe, Presi-
dent Of DePaul University, one of the
speakers on this occasion was also q
member of the same committee. The
delegation, after an interview with the
chairman of the committee on for
eign affairs was informed that none
other than war measures would be
considered at this session Of Congress.
A number of resolutions, besides
mine, have been introduced in Con-
gress in behalf Of Ireland. q couple for
Home Rule, and couple for an imme-
date declaration by Congress. in fav-
or Of free Ireland. I propose, with
every means in my power. to compel
the Committee on Foreign Affairs to
take some action, one way or another
when the regular session of Congress
convenes in December. I have no per-
sonal pride in this matter and IL we
can get Congress to pass a resolution,
in favor of an Irish republic now, and
not wait until the end of the war, then
I am in favor of such action.
There are some, not many, in this
country today, who are willing and
quite anxious to still keep before the
people the shameful, played-out Home
Rule Scheme of England. They are
the friends of England and not Ire
land, regardless of what they may say.
Home Rule is not what the people of
ireland are now concerned about nor
was it ever belived by many who fav-
ored Home Rule to be anything more
than a step in the right direction-a
means to an end. have never been
able to make myself believe that Eng
land ever intended to grant Home Rule
to ireland.
1t was Gladstone, who said, "That no
Government, however good, can be a
substitute for self-government."
John Bright, the great English
statesman and reformer, who was in.
timately associated with Gladstone, in
his day, opposed home rule, because
he believed it would disrupt the Brit
ish Empire. The withholding of home
rule from Ireland, after the act was
passed was as great blunder as Eng
land made with the colonies in Amer
lea, when they were demanding their
just rights.
have always stood on the side of
those who favored absolute independ-
ence for Ireland. l never believed in
the sham home rule policy of England
and there is not q man or woman in
Ireland today, who has the welfare
Of Ireland at heart, or in this coun-
try either, who believes that home
rule, no matter how the British gov.
eminent intends to administer or ap-
ply the act, that it will ever deter
mine or end the Irish question. The
settlement of the Irish question at
this moment is not alone with Eng.
land, but with the people of Ireland
and before it is ever settled it will
have to be settled right.
Ireland has been governed without
her consent and held unwillingly by
a hostile race for over seven hundred
years, but at last we have an oppor.
| CuA1ACy w PAc1NO uO1 S4oAulS 1Ol Ju6C1CS
properly before the world, and if Eng
land would signify to our government
willingness to make Ireland a repub
lie, such an act would contribute more
toward the success of the war than
anything she could do and forever end
the controversy. The battle that has
been waged in Ireland for centuries
will not cease or be abandoned now
nor in the future, and not until an
Irish republic is established and Eng
lish domination driven forever from
Ireland.
Americas entry into the war and
our declaration for a world wide de
mocracy and for the rights and lib
critics of small nations" has brought
hope to the hearts of the Irish people
both here and at home. expect, and
we all expect that when peace comes
if not before, Ireland's claims for JUS
tice and freedom will be recognized
at last. Belgium, Servia, Roumania
and Poland will be represented at the
peace conference, and if England is tc
stand behind Servia and the Other
small nations, in which she may have
an interest, surely then, America will
insist that the demands of ireland
shall be heard, for we are told, III
is for the principles of right and fail
play we profess to be fighting for and
we are seeking nothing for ourselves
but what we shall wish to share with
all free peoples"
In view of these facts we have 8
right to believe that Ireland's claim
for freedom will at last be granted.
Francis Shelby Skeffington; one Of
Ireland's heroes who was murdered
for UNFOLDING the cause of Irish in
dependence, in an article in the Gen
fury Magazine" February, 1916, said:
when peace comes, Ireland, will
the other small nations, will stand a,
the door of the peace conference ani
will claim her rights from the com
munity of nations. Shall peace bring
freedom to Belgium and Poland, ant
DerhaDs tn Finland and ROhemia anf