The Irish standard., 1919-03-15
THE IRISH RESOLUTION IN CONGRESS.

by rising vote of ZIG to IL the resolution request
ing President Wilson to his good offices at the
Peace Conference for the application of the prnci-
pie of self-determnation in the case of Ireland was
passed in the House of Representatives in the clos
ing hours OF the Congress that adjourned March A.
Little opposition was made to the passage OF the
measure, and the few members who voted against
1T did SO chiefly on the ground that they were dsir-
| President Wilson in his Conference labors, rather
than because Of antagonsm to the spirit of the
| luton.
The resolution found it's way to the Senate during
the closing hours of its last session. and there suf
tered the tate of dozens of other pending bills that
tailed of consideration because of the flbustering
tactics 1t is quite probable that if it was not thus
smothered among the rest of the debris of legisla-
ton that the upper house would have registered an
approval of the measure quite as strong as that of
their conreres in the lower body Most of the
Senators would have voted for it because it consti-
tutes an expression OF sentiment that comes straight
from the heart Of the American people, and is in
consonance with the liberty spirit of 1776 While
others would have favored it from motives less al
tru1stlc-perhaps in the hope of adding another to
the number OF the Presidents Worries At any rate
there is good reason to believe that the resolution
would be passed if action had been possible
he article OF the League Constitution which
seeks to guarantee peranency of the territorial di
Visions OF the several nations as thew now exist
would OF course if adopted, preclude the release of
Ireland from British thralldom But it is not at all
Hkely tlat america Will accept such broad
pensve and responsible commission AS Senator
Knox has pointed out such provision would cast
us fully into the cau1dron of world politics, en-
brolng us in the nterminable quarrels of the
Balkan countries and rendering necessary the sac
rihce of American life and treasure upon everv up-
heaval among these turbulent states The article
in question should therefore be radically amended
or altogether eliminated if the League plan is to
hnd cceptance among the American people
While the Irish resolution, Them has not been for
mally adopted by Congress it had been advanced so
tar in the process to demonstrate the will of the
people on the issue involved. 1t received virtually
unanimous support among the members of the lower
house, who are in direct touch with the sentiment
OF their constituencies The dispatches say that at
the hour of adjournment the "Wearn O. the Green"
was sung with great enthusiasm under the leader
ship of Congressman Gallivan of Boston, thus en-
phasldng the action taken on the resolution This
augurs well for the cause of Ireland in the future
in Congress- 1t is altogether probable that special
session of that body will be called before the case of
Ireland is finally disposed of at the Peace Confer
ence, and another opportunity be given to the mem
bers to put record before the entire world the de-
sire and will of the American people on this i'm
portant issue 1t is not time, therefore, for the
friends OF the Irish cause to sacken their efforts
but rather to put new energy into them.
Let every Representative and Senator hear from \
their constituents on this point Let them be made
to know and feel that the peace job cannot be |
finished until the just claims and de-
lands of Ireland given full consideration before
the tribunal Of the nations of the world.