Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-04-05
PRESIDENT
Expresses Regret That He Can Not
Find Time to Visit
Dublin.
Irish Race Convention Committee
Sails for Paris Peace
Conference.
viii First Present Their Claims to
the Representatives From
America.
IRISH BOND ISSUE is REAr8

Press dispatches bring news thx5
the Lord Mayor of Dublin received
a message on Tuesday from Presi-l
dent Wilson, expressing regret that
the constant pressure of engage
ments has prevented him from ac-
cepting the Lord Mayors invitation
to visit Dublin and receive the free
dom of the city. This will give
friends of ireland hope that Presi-
dent Wilson will stand for justice
and self-determination for ireland
when that issue comes before tho
Peace Conference at Paris.
The committee appointed at the
Irish race convention held recently
in Philadelphia to urge self-de-
termination for Ireland before the
Peace Conference at Paris sailed for
Havre on the French liner La
Touraine. The Chairman of the
committee is Frank p. Walsh, for
mer joint Chairman of the War La
Dor Board, and the others are Ed
ward F. Dunno, former Governor
of Illinois, and Michael J. Ryan.
former Public Service Commissioner
of Pennsylvania.
"Our plan of procedure" said
Mr.. Walsh, just before sailing, sis
first of all to present Ireland's case
to our own representatives at the
Peace Conference. 1t may be pos
sible that we shall also take the
matter up with the English repre-
sentatives. We will request thai
Messrs. Plunkett, De Valera and
Griffith be allowed to present Ire
lands case first to the Peace Con-
ference. We may assist these gen.
tlemen if we are allowed. If this
request is denied we shall ask that
we be allowed to appear ourselves
IN behalf of the people of ireland.
We are hopeful thst one of these
Feqiiesta Nl3l be granted We have
'laef sa 81 effect aa
along the line Of President Wilson's
fourteen points, in which event she
would only have to withdraw her
army of occupation from Ireland
and the Irish republic would 80
right ahead and function"
Mr. Walsh declared that the Irish
leaders had their bond issue ready
and that Ireland could raise a big
ger sum than any other republic
anu III DlOl lNA OCSduCo AlA0I
people all over the world would
subscribe.
America is our trump card" de-
clared H. Boland, NJ. p, Secretary
and chief organizer of the Sim
Fein, in an interview with the
Posts Dublin correspondent on
Saturday.
"Our organization is worldwide.
The Irish in America are behind US.
America holds a very strong hand.
If the League of Nations does not
materialize England's commercial
rival will be America. The latter
is coming out of the war stronger
than any other power. The British
foreign policy seems to aid an Eng
disappearing union with America
We have for the last forty years
blocked that alliance because the
Irish hold the balance of power
politically in America and until we
have justice we will continue to
harrass Anglo-American relations.
We are endeavoring to cause Brit
ain as much trouble as possible. We
have implicit confidence in Amer
ica's declaration that the war was
fought for the freedom Of nations,
large and small, and If Premier
Lloyd George is to grant self-de-
termination to the Akaris in Cen
trail Africa we in Ireland may surely
be granted the same rights. Sim
Fein is an old, old idea of Irish
independence which goes back to
1172. We base our right to indie
pendence on the declarations Of the
act of 1882 that Ireland is compe-
tent to make laws for the Irish peo-
pie"
Sim Fein courts are now working
all over this country and hundreds
of cases have been tried before
these tribunals. The Sim Fein
courts are nothing If they are not
quick. Such lawyers as appear for
the litigants are told to be as brief
as possible in their speeches and
that only the essential facts count
in all cases, though patient hear
ing is given to everybody. One of
their first cases was dispute be-
tween two merchants about the nom
delivery of goods. Neither party
engaged lawyer. Each stated his
own case. The argument occupied
ten minutes, and verdict was given
for the plaintiff, who was imme-
diately paid what he claimed. The
parties left the court good friends,
and the cost Of the litigation was
six-pence. The average length of a
hearing thus far has been fifteen
minutes. In twenty-five cases in
one court there was only one law
yer to appear, and the case went
against him. The Irish courts are
democratic truly, both in constitu-
fiOn and effect