The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-31
|R|SH-A ME- R|CANS
STR0Nr' v ", 0RnTF.ST
AGAINST THE IKtA'I' / !
COHALiN, WALSH. BOURKE COCK.
RAN AND RYAN PARTICULARLY
OPPOSE THE LEAGUE

J'cllOu OF tnt peace treaty, American
representatives of the cause of Irish
freedom told the foreign relations com.
mittee today that the treaty would ere.
ate a supcr-government against Ire
lands interests and would establish
British naval supremacy so firmly as
TO menace the United States.
Daniel f. Cohalan. justice of the
supreme court of New York Edward
T.. Dunn, former governor of Illinois;
Frank =. Walsh. Bourke Cochran and
others representing various Irish organ.
izations, appeared. They said they
voiced the sentiments of more than 20.
900 900 American citizens of Irish blood.
ireland has been asserting continu.
ously her claim TO independence for
eight centuries" said the memorial
read to the committee. zone fifth of
the entire population of the United
States is of Irish extraction. We ask
that Ireland he not the only nation eX
cluded from the benefit of the glorious
principles enuncated by Mr.. Wilson as
those which the great war was fought
to establish. We especially denounce
Article 10 of the proposed League or
Nations as a device to stifle the con
science of civilization and render it i'm
potent to condemn, and by condemning
to end, the oppression of weak nations
enSlaVed by powerful neighbors. 1t i'm
peaches the most creditable page in our
history and discredits the circumstances
and conditions in which our republic
was born and our liberty achieved"
Taking particular exception to the
League of Nations proposal. Justice Co.
halan declared it would be 'intolerable"
to give Great Britain six votes in
the league assembly to one for the Unit
ed States.
1--WE fought" he said, "to destroy
which means not only mill |
tarism, the control OF the land, but also
the control of the sea. We
contend that the position of the British |
fleet is made such by this treaty that
it can be used only against the United
States. Germany and Russia are in no
position to contest it and France prac'
ticaly has been turned into a continent |
al vassal of England.
Freedom of the Seas Abridged
IF we enter into IA scheme which |
leaves to another country the mastery !
of the seas, we place ourselves volunta-
rily in the position where we shall carry |
on commerce with other countries as a |
matter of privilege instead of as mat
ter of right. We are asked also under
the proposed plan practically to give |
up the Monroe doctrine.
I'VE insist that this is in no sense |
a League of Nations, but is simply a |
cover for an Anglo American alliance
under which the freedom of America |
would be abridged and the power of
the governing classes in England per
secured"
Mr.. Walsh, chairman Of the American
of Irish independence, de
clared the league would put more than
half the world in rebellion. He said he
always had been II democrat "and al
most a pacifist," but that the best
friend President Wilson has is the man
who will stand up and keep him from
the great mistake he is about to make"
Mr.. Walsh offered to give the com
mittee, lin executive session reports
Of the interviews between members Of
the Irish-American delegation sent to
Paris and President Wilson and other
American peace delegates. At the sug-
yestion of Senator Johnson. republican,
the committee voted to re-
,eive the records and print them for
public circulation.
When Ireland separated from Great
Britain in the uprising during the war
Mr. Walsh said, they separated for
'ver." The Irish We're willing to fight
o the DEATH" he asserted, if it became
lecessary
Describing his experiences at Paris,
where his commission was refused a
81, 1sh
cad the names of a long list of deega-
ions from small nations which called on
he Irish-Americans to ask why the IA
POINTS were being disregarded"
Walsh Causes Laughs ;
The witness said he understood that !
he peace conference drew lines on ,
he map by mistake" in several cases {
nd got several nationalties into the
wrong nation.
Mr.. Walsh said he was present at the
pen meeting when the league coven-
mt was approved and that various
eople were jumping up over the hall
D make suggestion, but NJ. Clemenceau h
landly said, there being no objection, d
he covenant is agreed to-. S
Mr.. Walshs statements brought re- q
eated laughter and cheers from the q
lrgest crowd of spectators that has at f
ended any Of the committees hear r
igs. Although only two hours had n
cen set aside for the hearing. when 9
le time expired. Senator Fall republi. 4
an. New Mexico. moved an indefinite q
and it was agreed to. :
The league covenant Mr.. Walsh de-
ared. was "a perversion" of the ideas a
T the men who really wanted league. I
NO Interpretation and no amend @
Ient." he said. "can make this an hon n
It document a
Bound by Secret Agreements u
Referring to the provision about dis
utes arising in the league, the witness j
lid that "a dispute is going to arise W
cry quickly about Ireland" The t.
ague, assembly and council. he said Ia
ould be stacked" because the mem Il
,rs were admittedly bound by n series Ii
secret agreements. u
"Al Paris knew" said the witness, u
hat the ideals for which the United Ia
tates entered the war were circum 81
anted at the peace table. President al
rilson, though mar of honest ideals, le
'und that every one of his II points Il
I'D been abrogated by secret treaties" C;
Mr.. Walsh declared that Sir Eric
permanent secretary Of the
ague. would have greater power than