The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-07-22
FAILURE OF IRISH CONVENTION
WOULD MERELY DELAY 1T, Ma
TIONALIST LEADER SAYS.
PLACATE ORANGEMtN
Believes in This War Crisis They Can
BE Induced to Accept Separation
From Great Observation-Disclosures Of
American Irish.


said was the most important interview
he had given since he came to the Unit
ed States. T. p. O'Connor, the noted
Irish parliamentarian and writer. de-
scribed the Irish situation in detail and
expressed the conviction that the "unan-
imous and ardent support by the people
and government Of the United States"
of home rule for Ireland would be
brought home to Great Britain should
reason arise Mr.. O'Connor had an in.
teryiew with President Wilson. He had
strong reasons TO believe, he said. that
neither Mr.. Balfour nor any Of the other
British statesmen at home had been left
in any doubt Of this unanimous and ar
dent support Of home rule here in Am
erica.
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 America
may be Of service. In answer TO a
question that the date Of the first meet
ing OF the convention was now announc.
ed as July 25, and that practically all
the preparations for II were complete.
When he was asked II he was hopeful
as to its results. Mr.. OConnor said:
Il am neither hopeful nor despond-
ent. do not think anybody can give
an accurate forecast Of what so uncer.
tain thing as a gathering of such het.
'crOgeneous elements can turn out to
be- Nor do / al all accept the idea
that the convention is the end any more
than the beginning OF the struggle for
home rule. In some respects II might
be said that the struggle for Irish self
government is over Anybody who wants
10 defeat self-government for Ireland
row has to fight. not ireland. but the
world and with that Of practically all
England. almost as much as Of all Am.
erica. / refuse. then, 10 say that II the
convention failed. that would do any.
thing worse than mark another mile.
stone on the road to which there can
be only one ending"
Would you venture even a guess or
q speculative forecast?"
Ought TO Placate 0rangemen.
III you insist. certainly. though poll.
ticians do not like to prophesy. What |
think the convention ought to do is for
the Nationalists 10 offer freely. without
oven being asked. every possible safe.
guard against the apprehensions-u
founded but sincere-which the Orange.
men entertain OF interference by the
Dublin parliament with their liberties.
civil or religious. / would be willing,
for instance, 10 increase the representa-.
lion Of the urban districts; that would
$40 good all over Ireland. for / see some
cafffer In a mere farmer parliament; II
might be too conservative. An increase
however Of urban representation would
Eive more additional members TO Ulster
than 20 the rest OF Ireland
Il would also give larger representa-.
tion IN the senate 10 the Unionist forces
Of the country. Finally. / have heard
suggestion that here might be In VI.
ster and In the south OF Ireland pro.
Nincial councils for dealing with purely
local affairs both these councils. OF
course, being subject TO The National
Parliament in College Green. j don't
quite like this suggestion but It has the
backing OF several important men in
ireland and ln more than one party. /
would. ln short, give the Orangemen
nny fair concession. hut no Irish Ma.
tonolist can now accept. even tempo.
inflly. the partition Of ireland in any
shape"
WIN the decisions OF the majority Of
the convention DE binding on the mi.
nority and ON the government"
u must answer both yes and no The
convention has advisory, not leglsla.
tive powers; what recommendation IL
makes must afterward be accepted by
The government bo put by them into a
hih and passed through the houses Of
parliament ON most OF the questions
submitted 10 the convention / believe
there VIII bee little difficulty in coming
20 an agreement The one crux Of the
problem-now as for the last three
4oars-is Ulster or rather Orange IN.
Ator."
'Wiu the Orangemon stil hold out
ior the separation of the Ulstor Orange
counties from the rest OF ireland and
from the control Of the Dublin parlia.
mont?"
II cannot say n YOU had asked me
That question some months ago.
would say they probably will: now I
cannot say The world forces which
are now behind home rule. the aban.
donment OF the Orange position by even
che strong Tories In England who for.
merly supported H. the peril OF the EN-.
tire. the pressure of American opinion.
She pressure OF Mr. Lloyd George and
the labor section OF the ministry. all
these things cannot remain without In.
fluence on even the Orangemen, with
all their dour impenetrabnlty; and they
may prove more tractable IN this con.
vontion than they have hitherto been.
Voice Of Southern PrOtestants.
i have not mentioned however. a
force that may have greater infll.
gnoe on the Ulster Orangemen than
even these great outside forces have
already mentioned. That is the pressure
from their own co.religionists in the
other parts Of Ireland. There is larce
representation OF the southern Union.
ista-Protestnnt for the most part-in
she convention. They are 20 man
against partition. and for very ob
rlous reasons they do not want 10 go
into parliament in Dublin. mainly