The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-03-13
BY Edward DeYalera.
President of the SinnFein Party and
Member of Parliament.

(COpyflBnt, l5lS, Dy Cne Uulteu
Press.)
Somewhere In Ireland, Feb. 25.-7-
England has no right In Ireland. !"
England's de facto government
here rests solely on the number of
her bayonets,
We challenge England to allow
Ireland the principle Of free self
determination. Let that principle be
applied to this island as q unit, and
If a decisive majority Of the whole
people declare for separate independ-
ent statehood. then she will BIO
silent.
If England accepts the principle Of
self-determination for this island 1t
will settle the Irish question tor
ever. F'E1
Free Choice. ts1
II a decisive majority should az
clare for Independence would not
/ ireland be- justified In claiming that
The free choics Of the peole?. IT The s re- 2.
cent elections proven ~TT~
On what grounds does England re-
fuse Ireland's demand? England
cannot pretend to misunderstand
that the challenge we give her is
the challenge Of the Irish people. Let
us hear why she refuses to meet IT,. I
We can ourselves settle our minors
ity question (Ulster). because we
shall want TO-. England never Will
settle that minority question because
she desires to keep 1t unsettled: Let
her remove her. Interfering hand. +
Asks World to Hear, a&sa
We ask the world to listen and to
judge between Ireland and England,
but the principle with which the
world has sung for the last four years
shall prove to be a mockery. II Ire
lands claim still is fouted, then she
must find refuge once more In her
own indomitable spirit--the spirit
which has maintained her in the
past. She can still at least endure,
and depend upon 1t, there Is gen.
Grafton now grown up in Ireland thar
will see to it that If England wants
to still rule here she must do so with
never sheathed sword.
Do I believe the statesmen In Paris
will force. England to do justice TO
ireland? ~
Many people are asking that ques-
tion.
They are convinced, suppose, that
of herself England will not do justice
to Ireland. They doubt perhaps that
the delegates from the otner nations
will be either 80 disinterested or such
determined champions Of right as to
risk quarrel with England On be-
half Of a country which possesses less
of the worlds goods than England
when nothing but the principles OF
justice are at stake. These doubters
may be right; they may be wrong. ]
do not pretend to know. do know
that II this issue should unhappily be
as the doubters are obviously satisfied
it: will be, then the cynic can feel
that once more he has been justified
and the simple and trusting obvious
ly imposed upon. Then, indeed.
there will have been deception.
Finger OF scorp
Honest people everywhere Will
point the finger of scorn and fndig-
nation at these statesmen. They will
have a right to ask:
Where now Is that impartial just
ice that knows no favorites which re-
Gently you spoke so much about?
Where now Is this new order and
these handsome foundations of lasts
ing peace? We're all these beautiful
professions of yours that, simple and
grand, seemed tuned to the eternal
verities of our souls, wakening IN
them a sympathetic RESPONSE that we
could not smother-were these beau
tiful professions but skillfully spun
phrases finely woven to enmesh us?
Like Other Wars.
Are you after all one as were the
!rest-was this war only as were
other wars-was, 1t for your puny
ambitions that humanity has endured
the horrors of the last FIVE years and
the entail of sorrows they have be-
queathed to the future.
do not know whether the, states
men at Paris win prove worthy 81
the trust pr, whether =, they #fll be