The Irish standard., 1919-05-03

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newspapers in dozen languages, in.
Guiding even de Temps" The Swiss
Press was very friendly to what one
of the best of them playfully called,
lies enfants terribles, les Irlandais,"
and away from the deeps of European
darkness a report of our speeches in
local paper brought us letter of
congratulation from an Irishman who
hasn't set foot on Ireland for a quar-
ter of century. The world is a small
place when you have a European audi
ence
Memoire sur l'lrlande.
Nor did we confine our work to
speeches and interviews with press
men and politicians. Everywhere We
went we pleaded and argued and made
the most of our, opportunities. We
wound up with the publication of the
first pamphlet from Ireland printed on
the Continent since Padraig Pearse's
years ago. This was a Memoir on
Ireland which we prepared for the
delegation from the Berne Conference
to Paris, and consists of that section
of our report dealing with the Irish
Working Glass and National Aspira-
tions, giving summary of the Irish
claims and Labour's connection there
with, a brief historical summary, a
sketch of the present situation in Ire
land with statistical appendix, and the
extracts from Karl Marx published in
''The Voice." A French and Ger
man edition. the one for Western and
Southern Europe, and the other for
the North and Centre, have been dis
tributed to the Press, and the leading
figures and forces in political and In
dustrial Europe, and are on. sale in
every kiosk and almost every book
shop in Switzerland. And to our de-
light, on the day we left Geneva for
Paris we found on sale in that Swiss
Belfast the three declarations adopted
by Dahl Eireann in January.
When we took our farewell of Swift
zerland we left behind many new
friends of Ireland in the European
Press, in several governments and
cabinets, and throughout the whole
Labour and Socialist movement
Pressmen's promises to us have been
kept since we came home, and as
write I have letter asking for news
of Ireland for the Swiss papers since
our arrival hAre. Without boasting
the personal Work of the delegates, il
can be said with truth that Irish La
bour has left it's mark behind it or
the Continent, and it will endure.
Sean It's Good Work.
On our way home we stayed -four
days in Paris and were glad to find
that Sean T. O'Kelly had been making
good. When we had passed through
Paris on our way to Berne there
wasn't line on Ireland in the Paris
Press. When we came back each new
day brought its bundle of cuttings or
Ireland from the whole French and
European Press. The Irish delegation
in Paris has done excellent work, anG
created an atmosphere and an inter
est where it was much more difficult
than in Switzerland For week OF
so he had a rough enough time of it
think, but when he had found his
bearings and made a scoop or two, he
found himself handling continuous
procession of callers at the same time
as he began to find his way into some
of the most influential circles in Paris
and around the Peace Conference
When we were there he was hard al
work, with little but most important
help, early and late, following several
lines along which notable progress has
been made. But all that is Sean T.'s
own story, and when he tells it he
will tell much more than I can now
He is certainly very near the centre
of things, he has established himself
very firmly, and Ireland is burning
question in and around the Conference
and in the Council itself, even if the
Irish claims have not been formally
welcomed or the Irish delegation Off
cially received.
Peace Conference Hopeless.
At the same time, l should be lack
ing in frankness if omitted to record
my impression that on the grounds OF
Justice or principle, Ireland has no
thing to hope for from the Peace Con
ference. Justice and principle are un
known quantities in that august body
and the most absolute cynicism and
the spirit of territorial grab are the