Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-12
IRELAND ASKS
T0HAVE PART
CONFERENCE
Claims For Participation in
Conference Laid Before
Clemenceau.

Paris, April 20.-(Correspondence
Of the Associated Press.)-Here are
the claims of 1.-THE Provisional Gov
ernment OF the Irish Republic to the
right to participate in the peace con
ference and to join the League Of
Nations. as free and independent. laid
before the conference in the form of
o memorial presented to Premier
Cemenceau by Sean T.. ,O'Ceallaigh.
the Sim Fein delegate Of the "Repub-
iic'' in Paris:
IRELAND is a nation which has ex-
in harmony with the principles for
muiated by President Wilson. and &C
cepted by the belligerents as the only
sure foundation for a world peace"
read the memorial. 'It is not only in
the past that Ireland, generation after
generation, has striven by force OF
arms as we'll as by all pacific
the general election last December
this issue, and the only issue, placed
before the Irish people was the in
dependence of their country. and by
a majority Of more than three to one
the representatives elected by the
constitutional machinery of the ballot
box arc pledged to the abolition OF
English rule in Ireland.
TN none of the small nationauties
with which the peace conference has
hitherto occupied itself is the unanim-
1ty Of thep people so great; in none has
the national desre for freedom been
asserted so Enthusiastically and with so
much emphasis.
"Eollowing upon the general cleo
ton, on Irish national assembly has
mot; an Irish republic has been con-
stituted and proclaimed to the world:
q president has been appointed and
with him ministers to direct different
departments of state; a program Of
domestic policy has been issued: and
an appeal has been addressed to the
nations Of the world to recognize the
FREQ Irish state that has thus been
"But while The national will has
been declared and the mechanism OF
free government is ready, the former
is being stifed and the latter par.
alyzed by England's Tuthless exercise = e
a fugitive; the Irish parliament is
forced to conduct its business ir
secret; the most elementary civil
rights are abrogated; courts MARTA
are sitting at every center; and the
goals are filled with prisoners, vic
whose only offense is that they have
sought the freedom of their native
land. 1t is in these CIRCUMSTANCE!
hat the Irish nation, through me, ad
dresses the peace conference.
ireland manifestly within
the scope of the principles that hav'
been endorsed by civilized nations
principles that the peace conference
is now sitting. Ireland is weak; Eng
land is strong. IRELAND in every pos
sible way has asserted her right t.
freedom, which England, by shee
militarism. is intent now as always il
the past to destroy. 1t is only by tn
exercise of ~tyrannical power hat Ire
1t is to the great principle of ma
tional freedom, represented in tn
peace conference, that Ireland. ex
hausted by the cruelties of Englis
rule, her population annihilated b
one-half within living memory, he
sources wasted, her civil libertie
ended, her chosen leaders prescribe
and treated as felons, now makes he
appeal.
'Article Ten of the draft covenan
Of the League of Nations is frame
to secure national independence
against aggression of an extcrna
power. Its terms are as follows:
1.-The high contracting powers un
dertake to respect and preserve a
against external aggression the terri
torial integrity n existing politica
independence Of all states members O
the league. In case Of any such az
erosion the executive council sha
advise upon the mea by which thi
obligation shall be fulfilled
ireland, as a nation that has de
clared it's independence and
pledged to the principles Of freedom
justice and peace, desires to sub
scribe to the covenant of the leagu
and to claim as against England tn
protection of Article Ten. I subm!
to the conference with profound re
spect that 1reland's claim is clear an