The Irish standard., 1918-08-03

the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Ancient
Order of Hibernians, an organization
composed of seventh-five thousand
American women of Irish blood, thou
sands of whom are the mothers of
sons already enrolled in America 8
Army of Democracy-many of those
sons are today in France and consti-
tute large part of that army.
II have written to your secretary
Mr.. Tumulty, asking that he arrange
, for this interview. I am informed by
him, however, that owing to the great
demands upon your time at all times
it will be impossible for you to ar.
range date to receive the Mothers
Mission just now. Mr.. Tumulty kind.
ly suggested that place in the form
of a memorandum, the matters which
We wish to lay before you, promis.
ing to bring the same to your atten.
ton at the earliest possible moment.
In this communication am complying
with Mr.. Tumulty's request.
1--WE have no desire, Mr.. President,
to add to your already heavy burden
of care, nor do we wish to embarrass
you in any way, but things are trans.
piring every day which are tending
to make matters so grave for us that
we feel we cannot keep silent any
longer. Speaking from my own knowl-
edge and for the Irish in America as
l have come in contract with them, l
have this to say: My official duties
have taken me in thirty states of the
Union since Good Friday, 1917. l
have addressed gatherings of my peo-
pie in many towns in these states; l
have met with them afterwards in
groups and singly, and have listened
to their conversations, and l can truth
fully say, Mr.. President, that they are
backing America to win, win again
the whole world if necessary, and
they are giving very substantial testi-
mony of this both in man power and
worldly means.
when General Washington raised
the flag of new Republic on this
continent one hundred and forty-two
years ago, Irishmen and the sons of
1rishmen rallied to his standard in
amazingly large bodies; in every cri
sis that threatened the life of this
Republic from that time to the pres
ent. Irishmen have no cause to hang
their heads in shame because of the
part they played. In the days of
stress and trial for the young Re-
public the Irish in Ireland nobly play
ed the part of a friend in need; they
gave ample proof of this friendship
many time since when danger
threatened America; in fact, the des-
TIMES of the two countries have al
ways been enshrined as one in the
hearts of Irishmen in America and in
Ireland, and in the hearts or grateful
Americans as we'll.
whether by accident or otherwise,
portion of the American press has
lent itself to campaign which is
tending to place not only the Irish
in Ireland but the Irish in America
in a false light before the American
public, in fact the position of the
Irish in America, because of this press
propaganda, is daily growing more
and more intolerable. These papers
take no account of the fact that to
give in man power proportionately
according to population to that which
Ireland has already given, America
will have TO place five million five
hundred thousand of her sons under
arms and transport them to the bat
tie front in France
"In seeking justice and fair play
for our kin in Ireland we feel that we
deserve recognition at the hands of
our fellow American citizens There
is no need to go back to past history
for proof of the Irish contribution to
American greatness, we only ask an
examination of what we are doing to-
day. I think it will be found that
according to our numbers we are con-
tributing as much man power, and
perhaps more, than any of the, other
races which make up Americas pop
ulation. The boys we have given have
come from good, clean stock, they
have been reared in simple, whole
some surroundings; they have been
trained according to our good old
fashioned ideals which means they
have known proper discipline in the
homes. Hence I venture to say they
are not giving their commanding Off
GERS much trouble either in the camps
or in the trenches. The daily casual
ty lists are plentifully interspersed
with the names of these boys who
have already sanctioned the cause of
American freedom with their lives.
know of several homes whoro cod