The Washington times., 1919-12-12
COMMITTEE HEARS
|RELAND'SFR|ENDS
Foreign Affairs Members Listen
To Arguments Favoring Dip
Iomatic Representatives.
Continued fron<First Page)


fallacy that we are threatened with
war in the recognition of Ireland
he said
He quoted from various state docu-
ments to prove that this contention
is not true. THE only essential is
the will of the nation" he quoted
Thomas Jefferson as saying.
Quoting Webster, he said: ut be-
came its duty to the republic to make
public sentiment in the world for the
policy of self-determination of ma
tions." He announced that this was
| the policy he intended to pursue in
the present measure. The birth of a
l nation is always strenuous, Mr.. Mason
declared.
1T is not an executive act, ii is q
governmental act" Congressman Ma
son said. 'The power of initiative is
stronger in the legislative branch
than in the executive. Either Con-
gress or the President may take the
initiatory step"
Step Toward Freedom.
He admitted on question from the
chair that his resolution was tanta-
mount to recognition. "It is not COM
plete recognition" he pointed out.
but is notice to the President that
such a step is not opposed. That il
the initiatory STEP" he explained,
Jefferson, Daniel Webster and Henry
Clay"
ut will not cause war and never has
caused war" he declared.
TT is our right as republic to
recognize another republic" Mr.. Ma
Crowd Enth thusiastic.
Mild enthusiasm greeted the clos
ing plea of Congressman Mason that
the new republic "has much
stronger standing than nine-tenths OF
the republics we have recognized"
Notice was given by George l.. Fox.
of New Haven, that he would speak
in opposition to the resolution, and
he asked time for such q hearing,
which was promised.
Judge Daniel F. Cohalan, Of the
New York supreme court said: I'VE
come before you speaking on behalf
of 10000 900 of your fellow citizens
to ask you to take one of the formal
steps that must be taken before our
country can fully recognize the re-
public Of Ireland"
There is doubt in my mind whether
there is the power in Congress to ex-
tend such recognition" Congressman
Flood of Virginia interrupted to say.
Judge Cohalan mentioned the num-
erous instances already cited. by
Congressman Mason.
my contention is that this is not
in any sense a purely executive func-
tion. The President cannot fully rec
ognize a new country without that
action is passed on by the legislative
bodies of the United States" Judge
Cohalan said my study of the sub
ject has made it clear in my mind
that it takes more than the action of
the President to fully recognize a
new republic"
Government By Force.
Judge Cohalan declared that there
were two governments in Ireland to-
day, and that the British government
is only holding it's place by force up
held by an army almost as big as
England had on the front.
Asked if the government in Ireland
in action was ''ipso facto," Judge CO.
halan created a gale of applause
when he asked, "Which~o one do you
mean?"
England" declared Judge Cohalan,
'is maintaining an army of occupa-
ton estimated reliably to be from
100000 to 100000 men, including some
of the fiercest native soldiers of India
and other domains"
Judge Cohalan said the English
government has seized 1900 men and
women, including the most active of
the supporters of the Irish republic.
Printing presses have been broken
to bits" and other drastic measures
tsken, the speaker declared.
Far From settlement.
The republican government is
functioning as far as any government
can which is not in physical posses
sion," he declared. Judge Cohalan
conceded that they were not in full
possession, only because of the Eng
lish, who, he said. have only hung on
by force for $50 years.
ognize the Irish republic they would
be doing the friendliest act, not only
to Ireland, but to the English people
themselves"
THE result would not alone be
respect to this country, but by force
OF opinion OF the English people
themselves. an agreement by the Eng
lish government"
The one big failure OF English
diplomacy, he declared, has been the
Irish question.
He quoted Lloyd George. saying
that the Irish question Is as far
from settlement today as IL was the
day the first Englishman landed in
Ireland"