Evening journal., 1919-03-13
By EDWARD DE VALERA.

President Of the Irish Sim Fein Party,
and Member Of Parliament
fCopyrieht 1912. by The United press.)
SOMEWHERE ~ IRELAND, Feb. 25.-
Eneland has no rieht In Ireland
Enslandlaafacto government here
rests on the number of her bayonets.
we challenge England to allow Ire
land the principle Of free self deter
mlnation Let that principle be applied
20 this island as q unit and II decisive
majority Of the whole declare not Tor
separate independent statehood, then
we shall be silent.
II England accepts the principle Of
self determination for this island. u
will settle the Irish question forever.
II decisive majority should declare
Tor independence, would not ireland be
Justified IN claiming &C.? That and not
something less represents the free
choice Of the people. The recent cleo
iions prove %.
ON what grounds does Ensland re-
fuse Irelands demand2 Ensland can
not pretend TO misunderstood inst the
challenge we give her is the challenge
of the Irish people Let us near why
She refuses TO meet IL.
we can ourselves settle our minority
question Ulster) because we shall
want TO. England VIII settle that min
orilv question because she desires 10
keep it unsettled. Let her remove her
interfering hand.
we ask the world 10 listen ana 10
Judge between ireland and ENGLAND, Dut
II the principle with which the world
has rung for the last four years shail
prove 10 be a mockery, If lrelands
claim siin Is nouted. then she must
0pd refuge once more In her own IN
domiabie spirit-the spirit when has
maintained her In the past. She-can
still at least endure and depend upon
m There is-a generation now grown ul
In lreIgnd Fhal will see to 1t that II
rngland wants 10 still rule her. shc
must do so with never sheathed
sword
DO / believe the statement In Paris
viii force England TO do justice TO Ire
land? Many people are asking tlat
question They are convinced, l sup
nose that of herself England viii not
al instice 10 Ireland They doubt
nerhaps that the delegates from the
other nations win be either so disin-
terested or such determined cham-
ENGLAND on behalf Of a country which
possesses less Of the worlds goods than
ENGLAND when nothing but the prlnoi-
pies Of justice are at stake. lues'
<doubters may be right; they may d,
wrong. ] do not pretend to Know.
do know that II this issue shoula un
happily be as the doubters are obvious
~ satisfied. 70 viii be the cynic VINO car
feel that once more he has been Justi'
fed and the simple and trusting oD-
viously imposed upon. Ihen iheeeu
there will have been deception
Honest people everywhere VIII point
the finger OF scOrn and indignation at
these statesmen. They VIII nave a
right TO ask: Where now Is that mn
partial Justice that knows no favorites
which recently you spoke so much
about it? Where now is this new order
and these handsome foundations or last
ing peace? Were all those beautlful
professions Of yours that, simple ana
grand, seemed tuned 10 the enternal
verities Of our souls, awakening in
them a sympathetic response that we
could not smother-were these beautiful
professions but skillfuly spun phrases
finely woven 20 enmesh us2
Are you, oNlti all, Nulg az Wtlt tlt
rest-was this war only as were other
w8rs-was 10 for you puny ambitions
that humanity has endured the horrors
OF the past five years and the entail OF
horrors they have bequeothed TO the
fuiure2'
] do not know whether the statesmen
at Paris viii prove unworthy Of th'
trust or whether they will be grea
enough 10 grasp the opportunity lha
requires so little 10 improve IL ant
found firmly now those relations be
tween peoples on a basis worthy Of ou
common humanity.
But 20 Is surely a source Of hope Z
know that at Paris there is one ma
at least who apparently realizes hi
duty and who can accomplish what b
wills il only he remain steadfastly do
termined and true.
The machailevis may soon at hin
but be ought TO know that he has th
best Of mankind everywhere at h
back. Let him but be hold enough