The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-10-06
Father Yorke's Speech.

Father Yorke's Speech.
Father Yorke delivered the princi-
pal address of the convention. He
said:
I'm calling to order this the first
State convention of The Friends of
Irish Freedom, l deem it wise to set
forth plainly and squarely what I
conceive to be the nature of the or
ganization and the purpose for which
it works.
Indeed, it may be too ambitious
to call it an organization at all, be-
cause it's national government is en-
tirely provisional, it's constitution is
of the vaguest description, and the
bond between the various local bodies
slight and experimental. 1t will be
the duty of conventions such as this
to provide the framework without
which the organizations cannot be
permanent or even effective for time.
II realize deeply the seriousness of
the times in which we are. The
nation is at war, the people are
troubled, economic unrest is acute.
and homes are saddened. At such a
time it is the duty of every good
citizen to give what comfort he can,
to soothe the anxious, to conciliate the
promote, as far as possible, that do
nestle peace which is more than ever
necessary in time of war.
Some men whose opinion 1 deeply
respect have thought that it would be
better not to call convention until
things grew more settled. You, how
ever, decided that it was necessary
that some sort of State organization
should be up at once. / think you
were right, and I think, too, that a
stricter discipline and an authorita'
tive statement of the objects of the
society will contribute not little to
the common good.
Open to ALL.
"The Friends of Irish Freedom was
established as a result of the events
in Dublin during Easter week, 1916.
It is not nationalistic society; it is
not a sectatrian society; it is not a
political society; it is not secret So
ciety. It's ranks are open to all Amer
leans who believe that Ireland is one
of those nations whose national rights
we are in the war today to preserve
to restore, or to extend.
CAS- you know that while England
herself acknowledges the fact of Irish
nationality, there are various opinions
as to how that nationality should be
organized. Some believe in complete
incorporation in the English system.
Some believe in what is called self
government within the British empire.
Some believe in complete political in
dependence.
Now, The Friends of Irish Free
dom make it the first principle of
their organization that the adoption
of any of these opinions, or of any
other, is the right of the Irish people
of Ireland. We of the dispersion may
counsel according to our wisdom and
may help according to our means
but the final decision must be left to
the Irish democracy. We are in this
war to make the world safe for de-
mocracy, and as good Americans we
can ask nothing more than that the
Irish pepole be judges in their own
cause.
Irish Convention.
1T is for this reason we have no
faith in the convention that the Eng
lish cabinet has constituted to devise
a scheme of Irish government. 1t does
not represent the democracy of Ire
land, and we have no assurance that
the Irish people will have any say
in the acceptance or rejection of it's
findings.
For the same reason we cannot
admit that the Irish parliamentary
party has the right to speak for the
Irish democracy. They were elected
on an undemocratic franchise-on is
sues that the war has killed forever
and the late reflections, both in the
rural and in the city constituencies,
show that their former supporters
overwhelmingly repudiate them.
There exists in certain quarters in
this country, even among men who are
friendly to Ireland, the idea that the
Irish claim to nationality is based
on the wrongs Ireland has suffered
from England. Nothing could be far
Their from the truth. No great cause
is built upon hatred, and the times
only little worse than the misgov-
eminent of Ireland was at times only
a little worse than the misgovernment
of England herself.
A Separate Nation.
"The claim of Ireland is based upon
the natural and historic fact that she
is a separate nation. There is no
need to elaborate the truth that sep
arate nations are entitled to political
independence. That truth has been
made automatic by the Presidents let
ters and the acquiescence of the Am
erican people. If England had given
Ireland the most efficient government
that any country ever had: If her popu-
lation were increasing by leaps and