The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-09-06

this country.
Military Tyranny Charged.
I'VE found, in other words, on our
visit to Ireland country where the
civil law was suspended and where
the soldiers and police exercised as
arbitrary rights as were ever enforced
in Russia under the most tyrannical
of its czars. We found country
which is conceded by the official re.
ports of the British government to
be almost free from common law
crimes, and where practically the only
prisoners in the jails were those who
were advocating the form of govern
ment voted for by nearly three-quar.
tiers of it's people. We found a coun.
try whose population had fallen from
8,250,000 in 1S41 to 100000 in the
year 1919, ample navigable harbors
are empty of shipping, whose manu-
features, excepting at Belfast, have
been almost totally suppressed.
1--WE found fertile land with splen-
did rivers and great harbors almost
devoid Of manufactures and com
merce, this condition being brought
about, it was claimed by nearly every.
one we talked to, by British misgov-
eminent of the island. This misgov-
eminent has been so marked and out
rageous in its character that it has
provoked five revolutions within the
last century and a quarter. This mis-
government and the public utterances
of President Wilson have educated the
Irish people up to that point where
they are insistently demanding and
will be satisfied with nothing less than
a free and Independent republic.
Claims Interview With Wilson.
"By Article x of the proposed treaty
now under consideration by the SEN
ate, the American republic is asked to
perpetuate this character of govern
ment in the twentieth century and to
assist the British government to main
tain the same"
Mr.. Walsh told of an interview he
had with President Wilson in Paris
regarding the Irish question. He
wanted to give it to the committee in
confidence, but the committee, amid
cheers from the audience, decided it
must be received in open session. Mr..
Walsh will submit copy of steno-
graphic record of the interview later.
Mr.. Walsh. an official of the League
to Enforce Peace, travelled about the
country for some time in company
with William Howard Taft In advo-
cacy of the League of Nations.
Will Resign From League.
Here is the language he used today
in referring to the league:
1T is not a League Of Nations to pre-.
vent war. It is a League of Nations
to foment war. It is a League of Ma
lions to put the shackles of injustice
on almost half Of the people of the
world; to embroil us in wars and in
contests such as our country has
never known before. In order to be
plain, It is with regret that will send
my resignation to the League to En-
force Peace coincidentally with the
little effort am making today. hate
to say it, but I'll say that the whole
covenant of the league is so shot
through with injustice that the subtle
European minds have so covertly and
successfully planted their ideals in it,
in contradiction to the ideals of Amer
lean people, that no Interpretation and
no amendment can make it an honest
document"
Mr.. Cochran declared the Irish sit
uation was worse than the Cuban sit
uation in 1898 and insisted it would be
terminated "by no means except the
influence of the United States repub-
1ic."
Worlds Peace Affected.
He contended that the Irish ques-
ton was one of vital concern in the
peace Of the world. The threatened
revolution in Ireland in 1914, he said,
was one Of the things which precfpi-
tated the Great war then. Germany
considered the moment opportune to
strike at England. Going further back
in history, Mr.. Cochran stated that
Ireland has been the theater Of the
beginning II not the actual cause Of
every great conflict since the days Of
Queen Elizabeth.
ireland has been an open Sore" he
said, "and its condition has been q
constant invitation to the other powers
to strike at England"