The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-09-06
STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION
FOR FRIENDS OF irish
FREEDOM
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TW66OVUD
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do not know whether or not the
censorship has since been lifted. Our
mail, incoming and outgoing, was CEN
sored. One of our fellows was threat
ened with court-martial because he re-
ferred to Lloyd George, Clemenceau,
and Orlando as the three master
criminals of the world. The Defense
of the Realm Acts, or D. o. R. A., as
they were called, were still in effect
in Ireland. They had been enacted
during the war but the armistice had
no effect on D. o. R. A. in Ireland.
Everywhere we went in ireland the
people were kind and hospitable to us.
| believe that so many of them have
friends and relatives here in America
that there is bond of friendship be.
tween the two countries They looked
upon us as their friends and they
surely had our sympathy, believe me-
Whatever crime is committed in
Ireland, and there are but few, is at
tributed to the Sim Feiners. They
were blamed for stealing supplies
from the American naval base at
Queenstown until some of our sailors
caught two policemen in the act. The
criminals were sentenced to a few
months in jail but they did not serve
their whole sentence. I suppose that
they had to spend short time in Jail
for getting caught and were probably
promoted after they were pardoned.
remember reading in the paper one
time an announcement of the Chief
Secretary of Ireland, Ian Macpherson
from Scotland, that he would back up
the police in anything they did. So
the R. l. G. have nothing to fear.
Extracts from President Wilson's
speeches about the rights of small
nations, no government without the
consent of the governed, and the no.
BILE purposes for which America had
entered the war, were printed in
pamphlet form and circulated broad
cast. It seems as if Mr.. Wilson
meant that we were fighting for the
freedom Of small nations under the
Turkish, Austrian, and German en-
pires. heard President De Valera
say, at meeting of Dali Eireann,
the Irish Parliament, that I'VE should
Judge President Wilson by his acts,
and not by his speeches."
There may be some people who are
somewhat pessimistic about Ireland's
prospects for freedom. Judging by the
past, cannot blame them. No gen.
Grafton has passed without rebel
lion against English rule and they
have all been unsuccessful. In my
frank opinion nothing can be expect
ed from the present administration at
Westminster But no man can fore
tell what will take place within the
next few years in England, France,
Germany, Italy or any other country.
II know that the people of America
favor self-determination for Ireland.
They believe that there should be mo
government without the consent of the
governed" II thing is right in prin-
ciple It should be universal in applf-
cation. There is no valid reason why
the principle of self-determination
should be extended only to small ma
tfons under the central powers.
AT present there are men in Wash
fngton who are pleading the Justice Of
self-determinatfon for Ireland. They
are doing their utmost to get Con-
gress to recognize the Irish Republic
and they must have our cooperation
and backing. II they can go before
Congress and say that 100000 or
10000. 900 members of the Friends of
Irish Freedom demand the recognition
of the republican form of government
in Ireland, Congress cannot refuse
their request.
But in order that anything may be
accomplished, there must be organi-
zation. and the better and bigger the
organization, the more will be accom-
plished. We need more branches and
more associate branches Of the
Friends Of Irish Freedom and we must
have more members in the branches
already formed. Too much emphasis
cannOt be placed ON the necessity Of
organization and increased member
ship. In the past great indignation