Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-04-05

VALERA PLEADS
Says Erin Refuses TO Continue Un-
der the Rule of Great
Britain.
Would Cheerfully Share the Benefits
of Her Freedom With
England.
. Wife of the Irish Patriot Has SIM
pie Faith in Religious
IntercessiOn.
DEVOTION TO SACRED HEART

had an interview with De Valera
shortly before he entered Dublin
Up to a certain point he proved a
very mild and constitutional rebel
with his eye fixed on Paris. at Is
the unquestionable right of every
enlightened people, to govern them
selves" On that basis he took his
stand. cables the Dublin CORE
spondent of the New York Sunday
Times.
1--WE demand self-determination
which will be for the advantage
not only of ourselves but also of
England" he went on. eve claim
the to right to enter in the League
of Nations because England i'm
poses upon us a government against
our will, under which we can not
live happily and under which we
refuse to continue living, Ireland
throughout the war has been a
costly handicap and a source OF
weakness to England"
''Why," I asked, "did you not
cooperate with us and lend us
your strength as a partner in the
British empire?"
Because" replied De Valera, 1--WE
are not a partner. We are knit to
you forcibly against our will. A
partnership must be voluntary"
"Yet are there not in this case
elements of natural partnership
based upon proximity, intermingled
history and links of language and
literature?"
"Of a kind" replied De Valera,
land if you think so then why are
you fearful of giving us this free
dom you enjoy yourselves? If you
granted Ireland independence to-
morrow would those natural links
and ties cease to exist? Give us
freedom, freedom to enter volun-
tary ipto whatever associations with
'- F'siisnd " may a5sifs. llifGs-~asrlf
natural and inherent affinities Will
for the first time be free to find full
expression.
Mote" he went on eagerly, yet
judicially, 81 promise nothing. One
may anticipate at any rate pre-
urinary period in which Ireland
will be fully satisfied in merely
drawing the breath of emancipation,
but natural laws, like truth and
Righteousness, must prevail, aye,
and prevail promptly when there Is
no barrier imposed in their path. :"
But" interjected, eff England
granted independence to ireland
would there not be civil war be-
tween your people in the South and
Sir Edward Carson's people in the
North"
"No, think not" replied the
Sim Fein leader confidently. 1--WE
should have but one desire, namely
to share our freedom with them.
They would merely have to make
their choice, to belong to Ireland or
to England. At present they have
two countries and we have none.
If they elected for English nation
hood. we would be ready to acquire
their vested interests. Personally,
think there would be no serious
trouble, but in any case Ireland
would have to settle the matter her
self"
Another correspondent writes
from Greystones. Ireland. the home
of De Valera, the following interest
ing letter:
/ spent delightful half hour in
the dining room of pleasant sea-
side villa in conversation with a
gifted. intellectual Irish woman OF
deem convictions and enthusiasms.
The home was that of the rebel
chieftain, De Valera, now fleeing
the law--heaven knows where-the
lady was Mrs. De Valera. Half a
mile below the wintry waves were
breaking upon the gray rocks that
give this quiet seaside village its
name: but the sun was glinting
upon the wicklow mountains in the
distance, and / knew there was sun
shine in the house, for as l stood
at the door awaiting the response
to my ring / heard a woman sing
ing and the cheerful prattle of chill
dren at play. Could this, the Craig
Lilac 1.-THE Gray Rock), as De Valera
has named it, be indeed the home
of the fiery insurrectionist once
condemned as an outlaw, the
prison-breaker, the fugitive? The
singing ceased-it was Mrs. De
Valera's voice / had heard-and the
door opened.
1T am Mrs. De Valera. Will you
come in?" She spoke in clear
pleasant tones, and her eyes,
typically Irish, set in a face that
was content and happy, crowned by
thick coils of brown hair, asked IN
query of my call. In another mo-
ment we were seated and she was
conversing animatedly. The news OF
her husbands escape had greatly
pleased her.
1T only know what see in the
papers," she said, "and / am glad.
Where he is az present know no
more than you do. But I am glad
GLAD he has escaped"
She spoke the word escaped
with emphasis, and / knew what
she meant. Escaped" was sweeteI
10 her than liberated" The De
valeras have only recently settled In
Greystones, which Is almost entirely
Unionist village.
"a plantation county we cal