New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
.Reprisals Are Threatened
Against Congressman Who
Fail to Fall in Line
British Propaganda
Attacked by Speakers
Meeting in Uproar as
Pledge of Loyalty to
America Is Adopted

thousand delegates to the nationwide
race conference of the Friends of Irish
Freedom packed their way into the
Central Opera House, at Sixty-seventh
Street and Third Avenue, yesterday
and re-affirmed their dedication to the
cause of absolute Irish freedom and
independence"
Again and again, by one speaker
after another, the call to practical, i'm
mediate action" was sounded. Again
and again poisonous British propa-
ganda" was denounced. America was
hailed as the strategic vantage point
from which Irish freedom could be Sc
cured, and resolutions, drawn up by
Justice John W. Golf, calling on the
President and the United States Con-
gress to take steps to hasten this end
were unanimously adopted. By more
than one speaker reprisals at the polls
Tor such congressman as fail to fall
into line on this matter were openly
urged.
The meeting, which formed the first
nationwide convention of Irish-Ameri.
cans since 1916 and professed to speak
for more than a million Irishmen in
this country, was in tumult almost
from the start.
Profess Loyalty to U. S.
Called for the avowed purpose of
squaring the cause of Irish nationality
with the fact of Americas participa-
tion in the war, it abounded in decla-
rations of it's '1oyalty to the United
States and its 400 per cent American
ISM" Yet, though every reference to
american prowess" was the signal for
respectful applause, it required the
statement of Dermod Lynch, late Sim
Feln prisoner, recently returned to this
mt
one enemy-England," to bring the
gathering to its feet in a prolonged
howl Of approval.
Further ovations greeted Lynch's
declaration that young and old were
arming themselves IN Ireland against
conscription and that they would fight
to the death" before submitting to it.
With gavels working overtime and
organization whips stepping into the
breach at the crucial moments, the con-
vention did, in the last analysis, man
officially on record as heartily pro-
American. but not until Lloyd George
and Sir Edward Carson had been round
ly Kissed and the Ancient Order of
Hibernians booed for its so-called
apathy toward the Irish nationalist
cause.
John Devoy Saves the Day
Even then the feat was accomplished d
IN the. face of an incipient insurrec-
ton, which, led by Mrs. Sheehy Skef-
hngton and furthered by Jim Larkin.
the radical labor leader, kept the house
In a shouting uproar for thirty min
ute utes: For time it threatened to split
the meeting wide open, and only the
presence of John Dewey, editor of "The
Gaefc-American," who was rushed hur-
riedly on to the stage while Larkin,
from the floor, was still shouting down
forty rivals. saved the dav for the
comparative moderates.
The row developed when, after an
adjournment for luncheon, the meeting
reassembled at o'clock, and P. ]. Nc.
Garrlty. OF Philadelphia, chairman of
the Irish Volunteer Committee of
America, acting on this occasion as
chairman of the committee on perma.
nent organization, brought in the name
OF the Rev. Thomas J. Hurton, of Phila-
delphia, for permanent chairman.
Mrs. Skeffington Starts Row
Mrs. Skeffington Immediately rose
with an amendment calling for the
nomination of Dr.. John F. Kelley. OF
Pittsfield, Mass, to whom she declared
the convention owed its being. Straight
way the hall was in a pandemonium
the issue being drawn undisguisedl,
along religious lines, with one delegate
after another-frequently half dozen
together-rising to shout his opinions
while Judge John Jerome Rooney, tenn.
porary chairman, pounded in vain fol-
order.
will not the putting of a priest a,
the head of the movement possibly
prove an embarrassment? ?" shouted one
amid intense applause. "There may
with all due respect to the priests, be
times when we will want intense activ.
ity and devotion, when a priest will
not do"
"The priests led the Sim Fein move.
ment in Ireland!" beloved another.
Then came Larkin. Huge and ironic
he lowered above the crowd about him
when you get man saying the
scoffed, "it's time to call for an in.
sanity expert. For though it's true we
have few priests with ,us, the great
mass are going with the British gov.
ernment that has US all by the throat
And | want to tell you"---
But what he wanted to tell them wa:
never heard: His mere rising had beer
enough to bring the entire gathering
70 It's feet. HIS enemies and his cham
"Hit That Guy in the Neck!"
"Hit that guy in the neck!" shouted
some one in the gallery.
where's his credentials" ?" demanded
another.
Arms waved, shrieks resounded. Or
the platform hurried consultations were
held. Mrs. Newman, sister of Roger
Easement, walked agitatedly up anc
down. crying, II viii speak! / will
speak,"
Then Dewey was hurried on to the
rostrum. He raised his hand. Slowly
the tumult resolved itself into a thun
derous ovation for him.
I'm deaf" began Dewey when h.
could make himself heard, $50 l haven'1
heard word of this squabble. But
want to remind you that we Irishmer
are 9 ntrial to-day. The whole coun
try is watching US. with the hostil,
press reporting us as unfayorablv a,
1t can. Are we going to stand 70,
unity, firmness, strength, dignity. OF
shall this convention be turned into
. bear garden in the eyes of the Who'll,
world?
~ admire both these men who hav,
been proposed for permanent chair
men," he continued, "but higher tina.
any question of personalities is Tn,
question Of unity.
"We's here to-day to see if we car
.