Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-03-15
Rev. Grattan Mythen, Episcopalian
Bishop of Baltimore, Aid
ing Cause.
Committee Protested Against Presi-
dents Treatment of Jus
tice Cohalan.
A NATIONWIDE PLEA URGED


movement began with renewed en-
ergy to spread the gospel of Irish
freedom throughout the country.
Major Eugene F. Kincaid. of Jersey
City, member OF the committee
which saw the President, stated that
so sweeping will be this campaign
of education that the Peace Confer
ence will have to act on the demand
for Irish freedom which win be Gre
ated. He said:
eve are going straight ahead
throughout the country with this
movement. We feel all that is
needed is a proper presentation of
the facts. We will reiterate Presi-
dent Wilson's words at Mount Yer
non that the settlement of every
question, whether of territory, of
sovereignty. of economic arrange
ment. OF of political relationship,
must rest upon the basis OF the free
acceptance of that settlement by the
people Immediately concerned, and
not upon the basis of the material
interest or advantage OF any other
nation OF people, In this way we
will arouse the entire country to
the realization that Ireland is not
a domestic question, but one which
all the nations must take into con-
5ideration, Just as surely as they
have discussed settlements for
Poland and other subject nation
alities. We feel that we made
good beginning when. for the first
time. we laid the problem of Irish
freedom definitely before President
Wilson
President Wilson's refusal to
treat with the Committee of TWEEN
ty-five while Justice Daniel f. Coha-
Ian was present caused little stir
in Irish circles In fact it was gem
orally considered the incident would
work 10 the good OF the cause. As
'I.ooE II 4he p''6Ii 3 az WkIef Il
gave the Irish question. why news
papers all over the country, which
the meeting, are filling columns
with it. We are planning to bring
the question of self-determination
for Ireland to the attention of the
entire United States. This was the
first unlooked-for but welcome pub
licity that we received"
Another member said that the
incident showed the bigness of Jus
tice Cohalan in that he could over
look a personal matter in the face
of a great cause. The Justice him
self declined to say anything. At
the meeting in the Hotel McAipin,
however, he assured the other mem
bers of the committee he did not
mind one bit" the Presidents ac-
ton.
Some of the incidents at the
meeting, which were not told in the
official communique of the commit
tee, were related to the New York
American by one of those present.
According to this informant, the
younger members of the committee
were insistent the President be not
seen after he had announced he
would not enter the room with JUS
tice Cohalan. This group was led
by the Rev. Thomas Grattan
Mythen. Episcopal Bishop OF Ba1ti-
more. Another leader was James
E. Murray, of Butte, Mont, who
had been waiting here week to
see the President. The expressed
opinion of this group was:
''If he doesn't want to see us,
then let him stay out"
Justice Cohalan's counsel pre-
walled, however, and he left the
room in order that the conference
might be held as arranged. Again,
at the Hotel McAlpin, following the
meeting Bishop Mythen led in de-
nouncing the attitude Of the Presi-
dent. He insisted that a resolution
be passed to the effect that the
Presidents action was petty and
not worthy of a man in his posi-
ton" He also believed a state
ment to this effect should be given
TO the newspapers. The Bishop was
much excited as ne held the floor
and denounced the action of Presi-
dent Wilson in refusing to see JUS
tice Cohalan. He was joined by
Committeeman Murray and the Rev.
Patrick J. Healy, of Washington.
When it seemed as II the committee
would agree to adopt resolutions de-
nouncing the president, Bishop
Peter j. Muldoon, of Rockford, H..
! in a quiet, unimpassioned speech
begged the members not to take
such action He is said to have
stated that 1t would do great injury
to the Irish cause both here and
abroad, and that 1t would Offset the
advantages which had been gained
in the conference up to that point.
in this he was joined by Justice
Cohalan, who again stated he did
not mind the incident a bit, and by
former Justice Goff The counsel
of these three prevailed. and 1t was
finally agreed unanimously to treat
the matter without anger or emo
ton.
Although a Protestant, Bishop
Mythen has long been q leading ad.
vocate for Irish freedom. His own
statement on the question Is; ''frlsh
freedom is not question OF relig