The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-01-19
IRISH HOPE FOR AID By WILSON

IRISH HOPE FOR AID BY WILSON.
Mrs. skeffngton Writes President
Seems Friendly To Sim
] Fein Cause.
| (By Hannah S. Skeffington, Widow of
Noted Sim Fein Leader.)
Washington, Jan. 13.-Some little
while ago a petition reached me
how, may not say, except that the
British censor assuredly did not pass"
it-from the leading women in the
Irish Women's Council (of Cumann Ma
NJ Ban), the women's organization of
the Sim Fein party.
l was asked to present it with my
own hands and not to give it to any-
body but President Wilson himself.
The petition to the President and
Houses of Congress of the United
States of America" says:
Long Oppressed Nation.
For many lamentable generations
the women of Ireland have had to
bring up their children in country in
a perpetual state of economic and po-
| litical disarray consequent on it's be-
| ing governed in the interest of another
| country.
Your declaration concerning war
settlement which has called into being
and endowed with hope the spirit of
| democracy in every country, has made
! us feel that a new era is opening for
us.
"Our appeal now is to remind you of
a cause which should not be over
looked when so many European ma
| tionalities are to be reconstructed in
accordance with your declaration.
| "Our country, having behind it TWEEN.
ty generations of repression, has, we
! believe, a profound claim upon those
who have declared their will to make
the world safe for democracy.
1--WE appeal to you to recognize the
political independence of Ireland in the
form of an Irish republic.
Countess De Markievicz.
mamie O'Rahilly.
MARY Ryan.
Elizabeth Bloxham.
"Kathlin Clarke.
annie Kent.
| Louise Gavan Duffy.
| MAN Plunkett.
Jennie Wyse Power.
| MARY S. Walsh.
Widows of Leaders Sign Plea.
| Constance De Marqievicz (nee Gore
Booth) was condemned to be shot, but
was reprieved and given life SEN
/ of 11,hi cI, u1x
year.
Mamie O'Rahilly is the widow of
the head of the old Kerry clan, her
self American born.
| eva Clifford Plunkett is the girl
bride of the Irish poet, Joseph Plum
| kett,, executed two hours after his
midnight marriage. ,...
another widow is Annie Kent,
/ whose husband, well-known Irish
musician, also was executed.
"All, therefore, are remarkable wo-
men, whose tradition and ancestry
| connect them with previous Irish rev.
olutionary movements of '48, 81, of the
'70's and others. We have had in Ire
land an armed uprising on an aver
age of one in every fifty years for the
last 300 years, an unparalleled exam
pie of government without consent
| I received notification previously
1 that was to appear at the White
House at 2:15 p. m. Friday, and there
found my request granted.
I was presented to the President af-
ter he had received and said few
words to a deputation Of California
suffragists, who came to thank him
for his championship Of the federal
amendment, a championship which we
all feel won the day for suffrage.
| Make ireland "Safe," Too.
Handing him the petition, briefly
stated it's nature and thanked him for
his courtesy in receiving me, adding
that we women already owed him a
debt of gratitude and that we hoped
/ he would consider the appeal of Irish
! women on behalf of the suffering moth
erland.
The rest I may not divulge, but
left presently feeling that our request
would receive consideration and at
tention-and that, at present, is what
we want.
| We want some one preferably the
United States representatives. to say
ireland" at the peace conference and
to see to it that Ireland, too, be made
"safe for democracy"
i Previously no envoy, official or un-
official, has been received by the Pres
ident. It is not too much to hope, then,
that he is not unfriendly to Ireland's
claims, and they will not be forgot
ten by the United States government
when the time comes.-From the Chi.
cago Examiner, January IA, 1918.