The sun., 1919-03-24
WILSON SCORED AT
Big IRISH MEETING
Speakers Bitter Against Eng
land, Whom They Accuse
Of Treachery.
OBJECT TO LEAGUE PACT
Demand That L. :. Recognize
the New Republic of
Ireland.

The great audience that greeted Pres
/ ident Wilson In the Metropolitan Opera
House short time ago may have been
moro distinguished than that which
gathered there yesterday Afternoon TO
cheer an attack upon him and his advo-
cacy OF the League of Nations. but Il
was no larger, and considerably less en-
thuaiastic.
Nearly 1000 friends of Irish freedom
stood and yelled applause twice as long
yesterday for Justice Daniel F. Cohalan
as did the audience Mr.. Wilson ad-
dressed on the eve Of his departure for
France. His address was long. but the
Irish were tireless. and they interrupted
him continually with tremendou applause,
At no time during the meeting was the
name OF Woodrow Wilson applauded.
though It was mentioned several times in
the speeches Of Justice Cohalan, Justice
Edward J. Gaveean, Frank J. Walsh.
Major Eugene Kinkead. John Dewey and
Judge J. NJ. Wall OF New Jersey.
Mono Of the speakers asked that Ire
land be made free nation. All de-
clared she Ia already a republic. What
they asked. and IN resolutions urged
President Wilson to demand. was that
her Independence be recognized by the
world. and particularly Great Britain,
Justice Cohalan declared England Is
with deciding the Irish question. He
said:
The English proudly boast that the
sun never sets upon their empire. There
Is another thing about which they might
with truth boast, and that is that their
diplomacy never sleeps.
I'VE are told by tho President that the
proposed League OF Nations was made in
| England. A cursory examination OF the
plan reveals the truth OF that state
| ment. even II 10 were not vouched for
by the President of the United States
The shrewdness OF the English mind
the cunning OF the English hand and the
| skill OF the English diplomat show
through all its provisions.
Take for example the paragraph un-
der which the high contracting parties
covenant to guarantee the territorial in
tegrity and present political indepen-
dence OF the various countries. Who
except England stands to proft in any
large way by such a provision as this
one? Why should not England. vino has
sarnered 20 herself all the faircst cor
ners Of the earth. who has her domin-
ions and territory upon all the CONT
nents and upon most OF the islands Of
the sea, why should not England be well
pleased witch the provision which will
bring 10 her assistance ali the other
great Powers OF the earth in case her
empire or her territory is invaded "
| foreign foe?
| What nation Tor generations to como
will be rival OF England. competitor
| OF England in finance. In industry, in
| commerce? Who among them will be in
a position OF ruling over subject races
or expressing alien peoples and who
therefore VIII need to be guaranteed
| possession OF their territorial Integrity
| oy any combination OF world Powers,
TT may be a matter OF vital interest
TO the governing classes in Engla nd
| that the people OF Ireland should not
! have right to s. UP republican form
OF government Ia place Ireland among
the Independent countries OK the yyc.ld,
but In the present aroused state OF
public opinion in America there are
but few people among those interested
only in America and her ideals in her
traditions. in her good name. who will
Sgree that the English point OF view
rather than the American point OF view
| should be taken concerning Ireland.
Let US have a look at this American
plan for the League OF Nations: let
US find out what it's provisions were A.:
let us md out what II was intended to
do under II toward forming society
| OF all the peoples OF the earth. which
bring a iust and permanent peace TO all
the peoples OF the earth. Lct us have
, some authoritative statemen as to what
the objections to it were and who were
the objectorR
I'VE won the war-rere entitled TO
! make the peace"
Major Kinkead said Having played
q gallant part in Americas great strus-
gle, one million men Of Irish blood en-
listed In the service OF America demand
! that the right OF selt-government. more
precious than peace, be no longer denied
the people OF Ireland
did we DESTROY one military dynasty
in order to establish another? Did we
Americans break the Belgian chain OF
/ bondage to fasten n rule as bitter and
as brutal upon the Irish?'
Judge Wall answered nil the objec-
lions raised by England to freeing Ire
land. and fiayed ex-President Taft for
declaring the Irish question to be n do
nestle one Then he said
In the Presidents pleas for the free
dom OF small nations, II begins TO look
now as though he meant to except Ire
! land. and we are all rubbing our eyes IN
amazement. wondering II that can posi-
| bly, be the kind Of man he is
Think Of 1T To thus fan into fame
| the age long yearnine Of spirited peo-
pie. and then to tell them either BY IN
ference or outright that tais blessed
boon which he promised. as spokesman
OF these United States was in reality
| never meant for them, was meant In fact
| for everybody else but them"
Mr.. Walsh answered Sir Horace
| Plunkett's article In the World He de-
| clSred Sir Horace NILSSON ceived the st-
titude OF Irish people and Irish in