The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-02
LABOR PARTY FAvORS
FULL MEASURE" OF
FREEDOM FOR IRELAND

Washington, Nov, s0.--The British
labor party is in favor OF granting
full measure" of freedom TO Ireland,
according to correspondence between
Daniel r. o'Connell, director OF the
Irish national bureau and James Sex
ton, member of the British parlia-
ment. which was made public here
today,
Mr.. o'Conneil addressed three
questions to Mr.. Sexton and those per-
tanned to the attitude OF the British
labor party toward Irish ihdepend-
ence MIR. Sections reply Is az fol-
lows:
MIR. aDniel r OConneli-~nirector
Irish National Bureau, Washington,
u. {.
Dear sir;---My answers TO the
questions you submit in your letter of
November 26, are as follows;
Question /. What action has the
labor party OF Great, Britain taken in
relation TO favorine freedom for Ire
land?
'Answer /. The labor party Is IN
favor OF granting full measure of
freedom for ireland.
AT q meeting last June of the la
Dor party las represented by its
mem hers in the house of commons),
resolution was adopted favorfng
self government for Ireland in keep
Ing with the claims Of other small ma
tions.
The labor party ever since ita in
ceptton has always supported vtgor-
ousiy any constitutional claims put
forward hy the Irish people. With
respect TO elf-governnlent for Ire
land, the labor party. in and out OF
the house Of com mons. consistently
insisted upon the complete Appfica-
Aon of home rule for 1rela nd ~ Or
iginally passed by the house Of com
mons without any partition of terri
tory whatever. It Is the opinion OF
the labor party. publicly Expressed.
that were the foregoing policy car
riod out by the British Eoverr1men.
when the opportunity was offered. the
position OF Ireland today would have
been largely free from the regret
table Incidents that have occurred
duri1g tho last three years
MANY of the labor party In the past
favored. I have no doubt dominion
home rule, which goes farther than
the original home rule programme:
hut when the people NJ Ireland CON
stttu,ionaIly and legitirnately recorded
themselves in the last general election
as saVoring freedom and sclf-determi-
nation. the members OF the labor party
at once took the position that the
question was one to be decided nv the
irish people themselves: therefore,
the labor party supports today the
pos .tion ne constitutionaily and lcfiti-
nately expressed. by the people Of
ireland. namely freedom and selfde-
termination. We see in the Irish
movement in whatever shape II would
take. 80 long aa ii is constitutional.
great benefit and great assistance to
the coming democracy OF the world.
In that res1ect. the views of the labor
arty are IN favor OF supporting Ire
lands claims for freedom
Question What is the total
strength in parliament Of labor party
members from England. Scotland and
Wafes7
Answer 1.-The total strength of
the party LIZ now So. but recent events
in the shape of nauui< pal elections in
Eng land, in which the labor party
have enormously increased that
strength all over the tountry, goes TO
show that the party will be able to
treble their representation to the next
parliament
Question s---Does the action of the
labor party in relation to ireland
mean that All It's parliamentary MEM
bers support such position as you may
declare was officially taken7
Answer 3-Unhesifatingiy yes that
was the position of the labor party
Very truly yoINs
fSigned) JAMES SEXTON,
Member OF Parliament. for District of
St Heien's England. Secretary
Longshoremen's Union"