The Irish standard., 1917-09-22
EARNEST APPEAL FROM
FRIENDS Of IRELAND
PREMIER w. A. HOLMAN OF NEW
SOUTH WALES DECLARES IN
FAVOR OF IRISH NATION.
ALITY.
Will Present Ireland's New Parliament
With a Mace of Australian
Gold.
Failure Of Convention to Make Settle
ment Would Be Supreme
Disaster.


complimentary luncheon in the Ores.
ham Hotel, Dublin, by Mr.. Devlin and
other Irish M. P.'s, the attendance in
Guiding members of the Irish conven-
ton.
Most Rev. DR.. Harry, Most Rev. DR..
O'Donnell and Most Rev. DR.. Kelly,
Lord M'Donnell and Messrs. Clancy,
Donovan, Nugent, Fitzgibbon, Gwynn,
Muldoon and Lundon, M. P.'s, were
among those present.
Mr.. Devlin who presided, proposing
the toast, "Our Guest and the Com
monwealth of Australia" said the
function had been hurriedly organized
to extend a hearty welcome to Mr..
Holman, who had come on a brief
visit to Ireland.
A Powerful Friend.
He welcomed him, not only as one
of the most powerful statesmen of
Australia, but as one of the most un-
selfish friends of Irish self-g0vern-
ment.
They in Ireland should be proud, de-
clared Mr.. Devlin, that the demand for
perfect freedom within the Empire
was backed up by every thoughtful
statesman in the world, recognizing,
as they did, that while Ireland was de-
MED self-gOvernment she must con-
tinue danger to the Empire, and a
canker in the heart of the Empire.
Mr.. Holman, responding, said he
hoped that when the labors of the
Irish convention were crowned with
success, and when they had establish
ed their Irish Parliament, they would
invite him to the opening, and further
more, if. circumstances permitted him
to be in a position to associate New
South Wales with a great event in
the history of mankind, he would like
to help in the equipment of the new
Parliament House by presenting it
with a mace of Australian gold.
About the general situation in Ire
land Mr.. Holman declared, that he was
an unflinching supporter of the claims
of Ireland to her nationality. He be-
lieved that the overwhelming major
ity of the people in Australia-con-
siderably more than three-fourths of
them-hoped and prayed for a sue
cessful issue of the convention.
Appeal to UIstermen.
Il would put it," continued the Pre-
mier, Ito my Protestant friends of the
North, and who represent definite
and determined section in Irish life.
You do not claim privileges, because
you reside in a special district; you
only ask for special consideration of
those interests which you imagine you
in special way represent.
"No one can treat a request of that
kind without respectful and serious
consideration. AS against that would
put this-It must be understood that
the adoption of an impossible posi-
ton on the part of a. section would do
infinitely more damage to those in
terests.
'The final dispersal of the conven-
ton without coming to some solution
would do more to wreck the future
of Ireland than any concession that
could be made to Ulster.
t'The disagreements in Ireland have
lost the Empire 100000 troops from
Australia. In all probability the dis
agreements in Ireland postponed the
intervention of America in the war
for one or two years. To continue
this canker at the heart of the EN-
pire and to leave, it without cure
will do more to weaken the Empire
that anything else which could hap.
peu."
To the Sim Feiners.
There would of course be some OBJ
lection to any solution proposed, but
he would ask the convention to re-
member that the greatest of all dis
asters would be its breaking up with
out settling the question. That would
be course of despair.
Let the stumbling block be removed.
Let there be whatever safeguards nee
essary, but let them know that they
had not perpetual exemplifcation
of the very evils which they were
fighting against throughout the world.
He begged them to do all in their.
power to bring the great democracy of
Ireland into line with the allied de-
mocracies.
"a EJn y,,,k - ~ thu voook o.l.r< os~-