The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-01
FATE Of IRELAND
IN IRISH HANDS
RECIPROCAL NEWS SERVICE
From 13 Queen Anne's Gate, London,
Relayed by X. G. Office
,By X. WALTER

London, Aug. SO.-I have just re-
turned from Dublin after a favored
glimpse of the historic scene of the
Irish convention. which has taken the
Irish question out of English hands;
and, although it's proceedings are secret
and members Of all political views with
whom / talked may not be quoted.
am permitted to give my own account
OF what | have seen and heard
The convention meets in lofty hall
in the Regent House Of the university.
The ninety-six members sit at long
green tables arranged in semi-circles
fronting the president, whose throne
like chair and table Of old carved oak
have been borrowed from the museum.
Choice of seats was left to the members
and it was considered a good omen, sec.
ond only to the unanimous election of
Sir Horace Plunkett as president. when
the four Catholics and Protestant bish.
ops chose adjoining seats with a row
of peers behind them They occupy the
center. Rows Of Ulstermen are on
their right. the Nationalists behind them
on their left George Russell, the
painte-, poet and spiritual leader of
Sim Fein, was seated at the extreme
left At the age of fifty he made the
first political speech Of his life the other
day, which is believed to be a record
in Ireland.
Temperate Speeches.
All that one may know or say about
the proceedings is that members of all
political shades have already been
heard and the speeches have been tenn
perate and well received The proceed
ings are at present in the presentation
stage. that is, Colonial. Federal and, 9th.
er schemes Of autonomous government,
devised by members and their friends,
are being presented and explained and
discussed solely with a view to their
prorer understanding by all sections of
the assembly. Later, ii is expected,
Will come the selective stage and fin
ally the drafting of constitution based
upon those portions Of other schemes
which have found general acceptance.
The chances for success are consid.
cred to be much better than members
believed when first called together. The
absence of the newer political leaders
Of Sim Fein, which has only two rep
resentatives, is felt to be regrettable
and is regretted by many of themselves,
but they are now acting on the theory
that Ireland will get more if they con
tinue 10 make a noise like republicans
outside. than if they went in as an ex-
treme wing Of the already large Ma.
tionaist majority. "If we demanded au-
tonomy we should get the home rule
bill. which we don't want If we de-
mand republic we shall get autonomy.
which we do want was the way one
Of them put il.
Meanwhile these Sim Feiners are act
i've in the country, exploiting and or
ganizing in rebel spirit. but at the
same time passing word around TO give
the convention a fair chance. OF such
an explosion as occurred in 1916 there
seems to be no present danger. That
explosion was caused by the momentary
contact of Sim Fein and labor. and as
labor not only lost its leader but had
the popular credit for the sacrifices
of rebellion filched from it by Sim Fein
and used for merely political purposes,
those two elements necessary for ex-
plOsion have drifted far apart.
Ulster Unknown Quantity.
In its own field. however. labor is
unifying agency between north and
South. Ulster. as everybody knows, is
the unknown quantity in the constitu
tional problem, and many Ulstermen
have been sincere in Offering every
thing except the Status quo" But
some Of the Belfast men are frankly
interested In the continuance of the
Irish question from other motives. 1T
has suited us very we'll" one OF the
biggest Belfast employers said after
hearing the home rule case privately
stated some time ago., to have labor
fighting for home rule. What they
win fight for once that is won. we don't
know" And that was his only com.
ment
Irish labor is not blind to this view
OF the situation. They know that Irish
industrial reform, seriously needed In |
Belfast as well as in Dublin. must al. |
ways wait on political settlements. So
nobody, except the government. was sur.
prised when the Belfast trades council. |
authorized 10 send three delegates TO |
the convention. sent three nationalists. |
But from an I could hear Of what
ulstermen are saying. in convention |
and out, IL is evident that they are
approaching the problem in a different
spirit from that Of 1914 and that they |
seriously intend to seek a solution ac
oeptable TO all Ireland and worthy Of
the democratic ideals Of the allies. In |
any case, the fate OF Ireland is now in |
Irish hands