Evening star., 1918-07-29
O'CONNOR LAUDS
US. PART IN WAR
America win Keep Up Fight
Against Germany if She Has
to Stand Alone, He Says.

! NEW YORK. July 2s.-Impressioni
of T. p. 1Ocunnor. NJ. p. one Of ths
Irish ,,nationalists leaders. OF Amer.
icA,s preparation for tho participation
in the world war were written for the
Associated Press just before his de-
parture for England and for publica-
tion at the time OF his arrival
Aftar telling Of his arrival in New
York IN Juna 1917. Me CCunnpz
writes - followE
Il must own my first imprenfona
weFe not encouraging from any point
Of view. Within d few hours I had
every evidences on tho one hand that
tho auti-English sentiment had MOI
yet spent itself and still confused the
issues in the minds OF some OF my
race; on the other hand, the sight OF
this great rich city, rushing, as
theNvacation spirit Of the summer. was
in marked contrast to the somber at.
titude and atmosphere of the city
had left after three years OF war
Further, I found in private converse
ton startling evidence of a division
of mind and opinion as to Americas
intervention In the war. which was
expressed with an opanness which sur
prised and even pained ma
Saw Transformation Of Fse1ing.
Il speak Of this Arst Impression
diaiely anay to no SAD 9ee tat saw @ the the trans.
formation Of feeling gradually STOW
from one end Of Ameriea to the other
untn now feel convinced that OF al
nations engaged in this war tho one
that feels most passionatefy, mosi
unitedly and most ruthlessly is Amer.
saying that II any one or all of the
European nations should in wal
weariness show any sign of accepting
an inconclustve peace, America would
keep on. even If she had to stand
alone; and that wherever else the Ger
mans may look for a spirit Of COM
promise they cannot look for 1t, OF
people OF the United States"
Mr.. OConnor tells OF spending the
first three months Of his visit in New
York and OF a trip to Chicago in the
fall. where he addressed the Irish
Fellowship Club; He believed hia
shared by 80 to s5 per cent Of the
men Of the Irish race in the latter
city. Then he placed himself at the
disposal of the National Security
League. speaking frequently in Chi
cago and subsequently in San Fran
cisco.
Impressions Of the President.
~Among the experiences ! recoilect
with the greatest pleasure were tive
interviews with the President, and
a-k hoI laytf
him Immediately before my departure
/ had been q student Of his writings
and speeches for many years. and
though I had never met him before
I felt as though I was acquainted
with his thought and temperament
I must add that my personal inter
views with. him had, however, the
effect Of changing some Of the i'm
pressions which are suggested BY hif
public appearance. and especially by
his photographs. The President OF
the photograph and the President o,
the living fash and blood seen close
at hand are almost a contradiction
The severity OF feature In the photo.
graph entirely disappears when you
are seated opposite him.
LET me sum up my impressions non
a private interview, by saying that M
Is q man of perfect simplicity. trans.
parent sincerity. rigid adhesion to vel
thought out principles and almost Gel
tic impulsiveness and warmth Of feel
ing, tempered rather than controlled By
the cautious side Of his partially Scotch.
Irish ancestors. Indeed, to me he II
much more dominAntly Celt than Scotch
Irish. OF course I am not at liberty
to reveal his expression except to say
that I regard him as q genuine and
sincare friend Of Ireland.
Il return home at tho urgent re-
quest of Mr.. Dillon and bring a mes.
sage Of cheer to everybody In Europe
on our side by tho account can give
Of the splendid spirit Of the American
people and rejoice, above an. that my
visit extended to the time when thf
bravery and skin Of the American troops
indicated the opinion I held from the
beginning that Americas Intervention
made complete victory over the forces
of Germany an absolute certainty"