The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-01-21
WILL PROCLAIM
IRISH REPUBLIC
BY PARLIAMENT
Unique Session Called in Dub
lin by Sim Feiners-Polit-
ical Prisoners Participate.
tBy Associated Press,

DUBLIN, Jan. 21.-Probably no
country except Ireland could present
an episode as remarkable as the as
sembly of the Dali Eireann," which is
Irish Gaelic for Irish Parliament"
that will be called to order in Dublin's
ancient mansion house this afternoon
to proclaim Ireland an Independent re-
public. Perhaps no writer except an
1rishman like George Bernard Shaw
could do justice to the paradoxical ma
ture Of the proceeding.
About half the Sim Feiners elected
to membership in that British parlia-
ment will participate, the other half
being in various English prisons
charged with sedition, or merely held
on suspicion under the spacious and
elastic provisions of the defense of the
realm act. The Sim Feiners will meet
under the shadow of Dublin castle,
where President Field, Marshal Wis
count French, the first viceroy in many
years to give Ireland purely military
government. They will meet with his
full knowledge and tacit consent to
take measures which are purely sedi-
tious and in direct violation of ex-
plicit law.
Decline British Office.
This is one paradox. Another is
that these Sim Feiners. elected by
about half of the voters in Ireland on
platform Of independence from the
British empire, were chosen members
of the British parliament. but specifi-
cally refused to recognize that body
and to call themselves members of the
British parliament. They occupy man.
sion house by the permission of the
lord mayor of Dublin, who himself
is a home ruler but not so much Of a
separatist that he does not expect to
accept what most of his predecessors
have accepted-a knighthood from
the British government
In the shabby Sim Fein headquar-
ters. situated in a decayed cold house
which was at one time one of Dublin's
men secretaries give cards of admis-
sion to today's meeting quite impair
TALLY to friend and foe; to support
ers of the Sim Fein and to cores
pondents of English newspapers
which hold the Sim Fein and all it's
works anathema.
Cardinal Newman had his residence
in this house during his unhappy in
cumbency of his high ecclesia stical
post in Dublin, concerning which he
was reported to have said afterward
that his days in Dublin should be sub
.tracted. from his term Ia .pnrEatory.s a
sentiment which Americans who al
ways find Dublin one of the most de-
Hghtful cities in Europe can hardly
endorse.
In Irish Language.
Today's program in Independence
Hall" will differ in one respect from
the solemnities of 1776 at Philadel-
phia. 1t will be carried out in the
Irish language, which is virtually a
dead tongue, SO dead that the Sim
Feiners have been obliged to rehearse
their parts and will be compelled to
lapse occasionally into boycotted Eng
lish terms because they cannot find
Irish words to fit modern parliament
tary procedure.
Three items are expected to consti-
tute the body Of the program-a dec
laration of independence. a message
to "The Free Nations of the World"
and the appointment of delegates to
the peace conference.
Ireland is country of the unexpect-
ed. but no one predicts any trouble or
disorder The revolutionary flag
floats quite freely over the homes Of
Sim Feiners in Dublin. Members of
the party expect protection from the
authorities of the nation whom they
are defying.
Once they would have looked to
the United States for sympathy and
help, but they now think they do not
command American support. They do
not talk of, and apparently do not
contemplate violence.
Dublin had an unhappy and fruit
less experience in the insurrection Of
1916, an experience which cost rows
of buildings on Sackville street, once
pointed to with pride as the finest
avenue in Europe.