The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-27


sxpssesd - ssah. ~ yea put ..tAsss
4 whAr0 the nghxInr WaS the thickest
| and the hottest and whore the Tine VA
weakest. Tow proved your unseifsh-
rsss BY not dsmAndin6 any OF the
| were unselnsh; that thNx were moi
netuatsd BY seidsh motives. but look
| at the peace treaty"
| International law, he declared, - not
based on the fundamental rights Of
humanity. but was made w powerful
nations to further their own selfish
! ends
Ireland. he declared. ID, not opposed
to- the league Of nations. To the con-
trary. he added. II ID pledged. by q
vote OF parliament, TO support the
establishment of real league Of ma
tions. but not mock one. Y
Ireland. he said. wants only that to
which she IL entitled.
Among other things he said:
want self-Determination.
am In America as the official head
If the republic established by the will
81 the Irish people, In accordance with
the principles ofs self DIFFERENTIATION.
Last December Ireland by q moro than
three to-one majority OF deputies--
CHOSEN BY ballot on adult suffrage tthe
exact figures being seventy-nine to
,wenty-six) demanded her right under
this principle,
issue of the establishment Of the re.
rrblic, outnumber their opponents by
r,cre than two to one tthe exact figures
being seventy-three to thirty-two) non;
are those who consider the republic un-
desirable as numerous even as the
thirty-two would indicate.
The total registered vote at the
n L. 49,
only 3os. 900 votes were cast for
unionist candidates. No people on
earth ever agreed so Overwhelmingly
en- a great issue--and the British prop
uganda Intended to convey the impress
sion that the Irish question Is not set
tied solely because 1rishmen cannot
agree, is a calculated falsehood.
Our claim for recognition Is based on
justice--impartial justice Is all we
seek. 1t Is no t going to be turned
DOWN by the justice loving people of
tits country. Our appeal is to the
friends Of justice and to the friends OF
liberty. We expect to find them In the
tescendents Of the men of rs
The men who established your re-
public sought the aid of France. We
seek the aid of America. 1t Is to seek
that aid that am here. l come here
entitled to speak for the Irish nation
with an authority as democratically
sound as we'll based as that with
which President Wilson speaks for
the United States or Lloyd George for
England, or Clemenceau for France.
/ come directly from the people OF
Ireland to the people OF America, con-
WINGED that the American people. and
consequently the American govern
ment. which, as a government OF tho
people. ought to reflect the peoples
will, will never consciously connive
at, or allow itself to be made a party
to. the suppression Of the natural
God given right of the Irish nation TO
its liberty.
What ! seek in America in seeking
recognition of the republic. is that the
United States government recognize
in 1relands cause 1reland's right to
national self fetermination-that and
nothing more.
Demand on England.
Even If England had any claim on
Ireland, having accepted Americas
aid in the war, on the basis of self
deter mination for all peoples, she
would not have no just cause OF com
plant now in America demands that
she shall be cheated Of that for which
she poured out her blood and her
treasure,
But England has no claim on Ire
land. She has never held Ireland with
the consent of the people of Ireland.
but always through the exercise OF
superior force. What happened at
the elections would have happened at
any previous time IN Irish history had
this question been put up to the Irish
people to decide. Ireland is the first
case OF a small nation demanding
recognition under this principle. Her
position is so clever and definite that
there Is no avoiding 1t.
America is strong enough to do that
! which she considers just. Irrespective
OF whether other states affected by
self-fnterest may choose to take Of
Tense at 1t or not. American ideals
and American traditions are ideals
and traditions Of liberty and fearless
justice, and the heart of every true
and Just man must feel enlightened
that there is such evidence that you
are conscious of your strength, that
you mean to use it TO uphold the
right. mean to follow in the foot
steps OF those that made you the
great nation that you are.
A new holy alliance cannot save
dem ocracy--a just league of nations
founded on the only basis on which 1t
can be just--the equality of right
amongst nations, shall no less than
great--can,
We have religious wars no more?
They stopped not when one creed
dominated by physical might, but
when each creed agreed to give to
other creeds that liberty It demanded
for itself. National wars will cease
only when nations get that which
corresponds to freedom of conscience
for the Individual. The common peo-
pie know that-they feel tits sensible
and just That is why the principle