The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-05
PRESIDENT BARS
JUSTICE COHALAN


through an authoritative channel
stating that the President would not
enter the room where we were II
Justice Cohalan were present The
members with spontaneous unanimity
said they would leave rather than per-
NIT Justice Cohalan to leave. Then
Justice Cohalan entered the circle
discussing the question and said:
This cause is bigger than any ono
man bigger than I am. For its sake
1 Will leave the room without Ques-
ton
Immediately q number Of the gen.
temen present protested and said
that they would leave sooner than al
low Justice Cohalan to leave alone.
Justice Cohalan then said that We
were there TO discharge a duty to a
sacred cause. and no matter what our
personal feelings, friendship and
esteem for him were we should not al
low these feelings to operate for even
\ one moment against possibility OF do
ing the cause a service. and insisted
on leaving and on our remaining. He
then left and the committee remained
to be received by the President"
Justice Con- said that the committee
which met the President was appointed
Irish Race Convention, which met in
Philadelphia on February 20 and %.
When he was asked what the Presi-
dents objection was TO Justice Cohalan,
Justice Con replied: "On that point I
have nothing to say"
Justice Goff then went back into the
room where others OF the committee were
debating the character of the formal
statement A few minutes later Thomas
J. Breslin of New Jersey came from the
room, and he was also asked what was
the Presidents objection to Justice Co.
halan.
Calls Meeting Satisfactory.
Mr.. Bres1in was also asked IL he con-
sidered the meeting with the President
was satisfactory. He thought for a mo-
ment. and then replied:
well, yes. I think I should CAL It
very satisfactory"
The following statement relative to the
conference was issued by the committee ::
Upon the arrival of, the President
Judge Con presented the resolutions
He sketched briefly the struggle OF the
Irish race in their night for self-gov-
eminent and called attention to the
words of the President o-nfght, as well
as his expressions for many months
past. He argued vigorously that Ireland
came well within all the descriptions OF
self-determining nation as laid down
by the President himself. Judge Con
talked for about ten minutes and at the
conclusion of his remarks he said
Mr. acknowledgement as we
do many millions of your fellow Ameri-
can citizens / ask you to present to the
Peace Congress at Paris the right Of
Ireland to determine the form Of govern
ment under which she shall live
The President stated that he did not
believe he should be called upon to an
swer such question. He explained that
he was the head Of the nation and Its
official representative on the Peace Con-
ference and he did not think It was fair
to ask him to state what his course
would be with respect to this matter at
the Peace Conference. He stated that
his understanding was that he was to
receive the committee, accept the reso-
lutions asked at the Philadelphia con-
vention and to hear any argument that
the committee had to make In favor
thereof As soon as the President re-
lated his understanding as to the alleged
agreement Judge Goff replied that II
such an agreement was made the in
formation had not been conveyed to
VI W my VI TIE CUTIE
mittee so far as he knew. and that such
understanding. II made, was done
" .ihout the authority of this committee.
President Asks Verincation.
The President then called upon Major
Eugene F Kinkaid to verify the state
ment that such an agreement had been
made in Washington. Major Kinkaid
stated that the President evidently had
been misinformed. that there had been
no such agreement by 1t with any one
other than that the President was to
meet the committee appointed by tho
Philadelphia convention.
The President then stated that he was
in thorough accord with the aspirations
voiced by the Judge and had been for
long time; that all he meant to say
was that he should not be called upon
as the head of one OF the Governments
taking part in the Peace Conference to
state his official attitude no matter what
his personal feelings might be in the
matter: that we had gathered there
as friends. and that he would say
further that he was not unfriendly to
the cause as We presented. but that II
was a very delicate and complicated sit
uation with which he had to contend
and that with a situation like that to
meet Oh COURSE ne must De allOweO 10
meet 1t by methods which seemed
best to him and not use method that
might injure the cause instead OF help
ing H.
Frank p. Walsh, former joint chair
man of the War Labor Board, was the
next speaker. He called the Presidents
attention to the fact that the country
had followed him prior to our entry into
the war and stated that the great body
of the country were at that time op-
posed to the war. To which the Presi-
dent replied yes, that he agreed. Mr.
Walsh then stated that when the Presi-
dent made his speech to Congress de-
claring that a state OF war existed with
the German Government and declared
that the war was for the rights and
liberties OF small nations and for the
freedom Of the seas that the whole
country fellin behind him and especially
the people OF Irish blood, who had a
very fine knowledge of those principles
taught them at their parents knees.
At-ts2' tiDsts President Interrupted
Mr.. Walsh 10 say, Il agree with your
argument. yes: l agree with what you
say"
walsh Explains Attitude.
Mr.. Walsh then said that the Ameri-
can people had thought all along that