New-York tribune., 1918-01-23
Drive on England
Urged by Editor.
Comment on Mrs. Skef6na
toms Talk With Wilson
Causes Trouble

''s'9 "S '"e W oiAce Department
on the ground that it contains sd; ~
torial matter held to be n v,o,.'' eU'-
of the espionage act. The dsc;s;o"
barring the raper was made in w.
irgton last night by Solicitor Iamor
who announced tnat future issna,
would rot be affected unless ob;a.
tionable matter is found in them
Two other Irish papers-John H.
voy's Gaelic American and 4Tb.
Freeman's Journal'-are navjne .so;s
last issues held up at the post osso. off,.
a. Thirty-third Street for alleged ',Iee v;o
lations of similar nature. but tbs;,
fate was not decided last night. An An
three papers are published here
They have been unsparjng in th.;.
criticism of England ever since .ba
United States entered the var ons nv
OF the editors yesterday declared th..
lnHu ence from British quarters '-o %;
high authority had been broueb+ ~
bear to have them barred from Nv
mails. This alleged hostilitv. he do
clared, had found an object for attssL
IN the featuring Of an interview with
President Wilson obtained by Wrs
Hanna Sheehy Sketfington. widow -:
an Irish leader shot during the Duhl.r
Easter uprising.
Drive Against Britain Urged
From this interview, which is feat.
rred on the front page of each, edito
RAJ comment IS drawn, 10 the effec,
mat IL is allowable 10 make q drive for
the freedom OF ireland. even durino
1he war AGAINST Great Britain. 1t =
even lntlmated that the pres;d0n,
"ouid sanction and assist any move
ment Tor Home Rule at the presen-
time N-N'S4'
This interview, written bv Mrs sL.,
fington herself. was oriri1aI,. w., nrina 4nei,
IN William r. Hearst's New Yors
AMERICAN January II. 1918. ThS
Hearst's papers article was reprodrcsa
IN ITS entirety by The Gaelic Amer.
can, which gave crcdl. for los soYrco
I or The Irish World' hrs. Skefinc.
ton wrote another version of the in.
tcrvlew, with certain additions.
According to Mrs. Shifington's ver
sion OF the interview printed II
Hearsts "American." as well as in tha
three Irish papers barred, she went TO
the W hite House on the afternoon Of
January II, wearing the Irish repub.
lican colors conspicuously pinned to
her coat. She carried petition signed
by ten r,embors of the Irishmeas
Council asking for the Presidents as.
sistance on behalf Of the Irish nation.
al indepe Hdence movement.
Mrs. Skeffington was allowed. she
said, to see the President in person.
According to The Americans So version,
/ the President appeared 20 regard the
petition favorably.
Mrs. Skeffington wrote:
"His (thc Presidents mood yester
day was of the blandest; he was gra-
cious. smiling and serene. and seemed
! IN particularly excellent spirits.
"Handing him the petition. | briefly
/ stated its nature and thanked him for
his courtesy in receiving me. added
/ that We women already owed him
debt of gratitude, and that VIC hoped
he would consider the apepal of Irish
women on behalf of the suffering moth.
erland.
The rest may not divulge. but
left feeling that our request would re.
ceive consideration and attention-ans
that, at present, IS what we want"
The American" did not print the
request" handed the President by Ms
I Skeffington, but emphasized by use Of
black type the last sentence. giving
hope OF favorable action by this gov
ernmert. The request" however, was
/ printed in the :hree Irish papers, and
reads in part:
Your declaration concerning a war
settlement. which has called into being
and endowed with hope the spirit Of
democracy III every country. has MADE
US 1eei that new era is opening for
us. Our appeal Is now TO remind you
OF a cause which should not be over
looked when so many European nation
alltlcs arc to be reconstructed in &C.
cordance with our declaration.
"Our country, having behind it twen-
~ generations OF repression. has. We
believe. profound claim upon those
who have declared their Will TO mase
the world safe for democracy.
I'VE appeal to YOU TO recognize The
1oliticsl independence of ireland IL
the form Of an Irish Repubic.'
The retion VS. signed bv Counties
de Marsievicz. wives Of Irish revolu
tionary leaders and other women pror-
inen' IN the Sim Fem uprisings
Blow to British Rule Seen
Mr.. Skefiingtn and the Irish ed
tors took tho Presidents reception Of
this petition * a vital blow agalns
British rule III Ireland. Ntrs. Skeffng
ton. in The irish World added 70
her article:
"Apparently, by his receiving me, h,
has shown some Of our weak-kneed
brethren that it IS no tvea son 20 piead
tor lrelaDd With The President OF ths
great Rcpubl;c.' One OF sne hccdnes
10 her interview, which occupies prac
,1fN
Irish World,' reads:
Mrs. Skef.ington say .hat al siga'
indicate that the time fol Z. v.gorodS
arrive in behalf Of IrelAnd's freedcn
is a. hand"
John Dcvoy, thc seventv-,ive-year- -old
editor Of tine Gaelic American" drew
even moro vigorous conclusions. wken
he wrote cditorially:
THE Pres ident's action WAS a dis
tinct recognition OF The facs that Sc.
Vocacy OF the lrish cause aavocacy o.
american intervention in favor cf III,
land now. during the war, is right an.
proper. There IS no escape from ta''
Conc1usion."
The irish World' contains two ea..
:oria.s IN which "The President is ~
icrmed ne must do something for lfe'
land at once unless he wishes 10 De 81,
cused OF Inconsistency in advoca'ias
the principle of the righ. Of set-as
termination Of small nationalities. :.
Mr.. Dewey, editor OF THE Gaele
American said last night: "a
We have been told that the Brl'ss
have entered tremendous pro'ss,,,
against the Presidents reception .
Mrs. Ske gtoN. That article cor
iains nothing bu: praise for the RE
ident. and don't see VII, we sheuss.
be barred for IL We are getting e'
the next issue, and viii not wait fel :