The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-12-17
IRISH REPUBLlC
PRESENTS CLAIM
House Committee Hears Arguments
on Recognition Of Independent Gov
erRmont. Upronr is Caused by Pro.
GermanfSm Charge.

the Irish republic for recognition as
an independent government was
brought to congress again today and
was debated in militant fashion
through tempcstuous all-day session
Of the house committee or foreign af
fairs.
"A crowd was iamme6 in the room
and blocked the adjoining corridors
which punctuatcd the proceedings
with cheers and with boots of disap-
proval as the opposing speakers pre-
sented their arguments and many
times threw the session into disorder
by yelling gratuitious advice to COM
mittee and witnesses.
The occasion was committee consid-
Grafton of bill by ReIr scr t&tivc
Mason, Republican, Illinois. whirL.
would appropriate funds for dispatch
Of diplomatic and consular represcn-
tativcs to the government Sc. up by
the insurgcnt Irish Republicans. It's
supporters declared ii presented an
opportunity for congress 60 DO all it
could constitutionaNy toward 4 full
diplomatic recognition and its oppo-
nents condemned ii as an effort to in
volvc the United States in danger
Gus foreign situation.
Late in the session charges OF pro-
Gormanism on ;h2 par! Of The coun-
try threw the mnating into furorc
which the committee Quictcd with diff
h'llty 2ftcr tn. ri.,l'min Iad warned
against insults to any of the Wit
ncsscs. Interruptions so prolonged
the hearing that the committees plan
of concluding today was abandoned,
and the arguments will be resumed to-
morrow.
Justice Daniel l.. Cohalan, of the
New York state supreme court. and
Frank =. Walsh. rlo beaded the
Irish-Amcricau io,a&atiuH sent TO
Paris during the peace nI@otiations,
appeared to cspousc the cause Of Irish
freedom and ask for passage Of the
bill. The arguments in opposition
were made by George l.. Fox. OF New
Uaycn, Conn. George T. ,.NGon, Of
Troy. ~ Y. nr1Srinli rr tn. %A'ional
Federation Of Pro Sbytn'ian Patriotic
Societies and others.
Eamon DcValcra. prcsidcn, OF the
Irish Republican government. who
came to Washington yesterday to
confer with Irish-Amcrican leaders,
did not appear at the meeting, but
larry Boland secretary ot !hc rcpub-
i!c's parliament sat with Justice
Cohalan and Walsh and frequently
advised them in the pre- ."2,ation of
,loir case.
The provisional government, these
speakers argued. clearly vas a dc
ractO government, having complete
executive and politically organized cf-
fcciive organization Of 100000 and
united in popular support. The gov
crnmcnt. they asserted, IS functioning
n many important m"t'o;3 B. while The
British authoritic S have abandoned
their attempt to carry out many 0l
The duties of government.
THESE statements all were denied
by Mr.. Lemon and Mr Fox. VINO said
thcrc was a great division Of scnti-
mcnt among the irish both in ireland
and thc United States. and that little
real hcadway had been made By tho
republic as GOEl!HNGHt.i ~ ...Cy
They declared the Sim Fcin party
backing the republic was one Of three
powerful political organizations in
ireland and had handicapped The al
lies III winning the war. An under
standing between Irish Americans and
German Americans was charged hy
Mr.. Lemon and Mr.. Fox carried the
suggestion q step further by turning
to NJ. Walsh and declaring that during
the war this man was thinking to
help Germany" The crowd in which
the tri-color irish republic was con
spicuoua along With The stars ana
stripes, hootcd down The assertion and
checrcd commiitccwcn when lhcy OH
jcctcd
Mr. FOX vii continue his speech
whcn the committee meets iomorrow
and Bourkc Cochran. OF Now York
VIII make the concluGin% address for
thc advocates Of thc nll