The Irish standard., 1918-01-12
SINN FEIN RALLY
HELD AT CORK
De Valera Claims the Same Rights for
ireland as the Other Small Nations
of Europe.-Cites the Grattan Pre-
cedent as Effective When Backed by
Irish Volunteers.
Sure of Reaching the Promised Land
of Freedom Like the lsraelites of
Old,

Mr.. De Valera, Mp, opened a Sinn
Fein campaign for Cork City and Coun-
ty at large meeting, which he ad-
dressed on the Grand Parade on De-
cember 8. The Sim Fein leader re-
ceived an enthusiastic welcome. Mr..
Liam De Roiste presided at the public
meeting.
A resolution was adopted demanding
the absolute and sovereign Indepen-
dence of Ireland, calling the attention
of the belligerent powers and neutral
nations to the fact that the Irish nation
claimed the same rights and liberties
as were claimed for any of the small
nations of Europe, and demanding also
an equal place for Ireland at any con-
ference OF the nations with the repre-
sentatives of any other state or nation.
Mr. Walsh said their opponents had
asked was there any certainty of get
ting an Irish Republics; had they any
guarantees that they would get an
Irish Republic, and where was the use
of supporting a movement except they
could be given that guarantee? In
reply to these questions he asked:
Was there any chance of going to
Heaven?
Why Grattan Won.
Mr.. De Valera, Mp, said that not
withstanding Misrepresentation in the
papers the men and women of Cork
would not be fooled. There was no Sec
ton of Irishmen now who did not un-
derstand what were the aims of Sim
Fein and the methods by which they
proposed to achieve those aims. Their
aims were to secure recognition for
Ireland at the Peace Conference as
sovereign, Independent State-an Irish
Republic. To get there in the past,
successive political movement in Ire
land had gone from constitutionallsm
to physical force, and from physical
force to constitutionalisln. Success
was always criticised. When these
two methods were at the disposal of
the Irish people Grattan compelled the
British Parliament to renounce it's
claims on Ireland, not through consti-
tutionalism, but because he had the
Irish Volunteers to back up his word.
The present was critical time in
the world, and they should avail OF
the crisis to put forward Ireland's his
torical claim, and it was a historical
claim, despite what Mr.. Dillon might
say, before the world. That chance
would come at the settling of the peace
of Europe and they should be prepared
to avail of it.
It was said that if they got to the
Peace Conference Ireland would have
triangular representation. Slim Fein
said that was not the case. The Union
lists did not want to go, and there was
not Nationalist member in Ireland
who dared go there.
"But," Mr.. De Valera went on, I'VE
may not be heard at the Peace Confer
ence. Very we'll; suppose we are not.
We have lost nothing. We are still
able to fight ourselves. What differ
ent position we would be in if these
people in the end are only hypocritic.' .
Mr. Dillon raised an "ullagone" about
the treatment the Irish people had
given their leaders, but his own state
ment contradicted that, because for
thirty years, according to Mr.. Dillon,
they had been their trusted leaders.
If the people turned away from them
Continued on page s.