Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-05-25

| Nv were lnIOEHltu inns morning
| that the premier has had p change of
heart and that his PROPOSED interview
! with us will not take place. may
say his decisions gives us a feeling of
| great personal satisfaction We ac-
cepted his invitation to meet him with
reluctance and only because of his
! eminence in the control Of his coun-
! try. but we were all deeply Cognizant
of the possible dangers attendant
upon it.
We could give him only our views
and had made up our minds to make
it very clear to him that the elected
representatives of Ireland alone could
speak for Ireland with authority and
that we did not propose even in
directly, to act for them.
surprised at "Storm."
THAT incident is closed hut what
a commentary it is upon the pretend .
ed justice of British rule that the an
nouncement of meeting of three
plain Americans with the British pre-
mier should shake the British empire
with storms of wrath and excite the
press and parliament to fever heat!
with the interlude of our Irish
tour. which we never contemplated
when we left the United States, we
resume our work in Paris. We hope
our request for safe conduct to Paris
/ for President De Valera and his col
leagues will be granted When they
come over, our work is ended.
Il do not assume that Great Britain
will refuse permission to them. With
what grace could England stand at
the bar of the world and deny the
right of Ireland to make her protest
against Englands rule? Is Ireland to
be not only enslaved but muzzed?
Our request through our own sec
rotary OF state puts the issue squarely
before the British government
viii Ask Conference to Act.
! If refused we shall ask our peace
| commissioners to bring the case be-
| fore the peace conference, We want
| the rule of justice and goodwill on
| earth and we are firmly convinced
| it would be for the best interests of
| England. and conducive to her very
! lasting prosperity as one of the two
mightiest nations on the globe, to re-
! ognize Ireland as an Independent ma
! ton, withdraw her army of occupa-
ton and let the lawful representatives
| of Ireland function for themselves
and in peace.
England cannot eXterminate the
Irish. She has tried and failed and
now the sons and grandsons of the
Irish eXiles rise up in menace to Eng
land. VIII she read and profit by no
lesson of the past?
II never saw Ireland until two
weeks ago. l am astonished at the
unity of her people; their enthusiasm
and zeal amount to almost fanaticism
| have had experience in American
campaigns with great crowds. but no
comparison could be made with them
ana those | saw in Ireland.
For ten days, from early morning
to late at night, | travelled the land.
The country roadways were lined with
peasants, men, women, boys girls. lit
tie children. At night, especially on
our trip from Athlone to Galway. bon
fires burned on hundred hills and at
railway stations great crowds of men,
with blazing torches, rallied and sang,
The Soldiers Song"
There is no country in the world
so overwhelmingly one as Ireland"
Mr.. Bryan said in concluding. THE
men who direct the new movement
are of extraordinary ability ] ad-
ddressed Dali Eireann Ohe new Irish
parliamenD in Dublin and listened to
their debates and / would rate the
general of it's members ability as far
above that of any representative as
sembly | have ever attended. 1t is
made up of poets. dramatists, essay
lists, farmers, merchants and barristers
AL splendid and determined men.
No Religious Intolerance.
"They are absolutely destitute of
any sembance of religious intolerance.
Every church and creed is represented
in their membership and the whole
history of Ireland is an eloquent pro-
test against the possibility of an en-
actment by Irishmen of a law inter-
fering with liberty of conscience or
freedom of worship. | know of no
place in the world where, where. | be-
lieve, individual property would be so
secure as in a republican ireland.
"I saw or heard of police brutality
and witnessed in Dublin and West
port that rivalled those of Prussian-
ism. But these are the common or
binary incidents of British rule in ire
land, and are the outward evidences
of an inquitOus system.
at is the system which is the crime
and it must go. So far as ordinary
crime is concerned there is none in
ireland. The jails would be empty
were they not occupied by political
Offenders that is, by men and boys
convicted by smartial-ordinary
law being largely suspended-or at
tending meetings, or of marching and
singing Irish ballads, or of crying out
Up with the republic'
II say with great regret that more
murders and offenses against the per-
son are committed in any one of our
three or four leading American cities
in ten days than in all Ireland in a
year.
Let the republic be recognized and
| the opportunity for peace and happi-
| ness be given the Irish people"
Letter to Lansing.
The Irish-Amercan delegates are
now awaiting an answer to their letter
! to Secretary Lansing. which runs as
| follows.
=: On behalf of and representing
| the Irish race convention, held in
Philadelphia on February % last, We
very respectfully request your gooC
| offices to procure from the British
| government safe-COnduct from Dublin
to Paris and return for Messrs. De Va
| lera, Griffith and Plunkett, the elected
| representatives of the people of Ire,
| land so they may present the claims
of Ireland for International recogni
ton as a republic to the peace confer.
| ence.
AS you know, the British govern
| ment assented to our going to Ireland
| We xx,npt for the uurnOSa of rnpfnrTiDf