Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-28
PRESIDENT OF
IRELAND TALKS
TO OMAHA CROWD
1900 Sons and Daughters
Of Erin Hear Plea
for Freedom of
Irish.

Continued From Page One.)
land, as hopelessly as they have our
nationality"
Then he proceeded to give his rea-
sons why the league of nations COW
enant does not conserve the inter-
ests of Ireland and why this coun-
try should espouse the cause of Irish
| freedom.
''We have a history, civilization
and tradition of our own and which
is no part OF the British empire, !"
he said. ireland never has been
a part of the British empire in the
past by any moral or legal right;
/! it has been a union maintained SIM
ply by superior military brute force
Opposes League Pact. !,
81 am here for three, purposes.
one of which is to obtain official
recognition by your government OF
Our government which has been es-
tablished by. the will of the Irish
people, and | am here to tell you
that the proposed covenant of the
league of nations is. a menace to
Irish liberty. | am here also to es-
tablish markets for Irish products.
DO you accept the principle of
self-determination?"
There were loud responses Of
yes, we do >
Pleads for Recognition.
"Then how can you deny it to Ire
land? You went into the recent war
to show that right is might, and -
be consistent you must now recog-
nize the Irish republic. We have
made case that you cannot ignore.
1t is no mere phrase to say that il
we don't settle the cause of Ire
land in the right way there will be
no peace in the world | believe
that the people of this country rec
ognize the logic of the situation; that
you, the people, recognize the repub-
JIG of Ireland, and therein is the
most fundamental recognition we
could have. We want you to express
your will to your representatives and
ask them to give official recognition
to your will
you fought for the principle of
self determination during the war,
and that principle must be applied if
you want peace. That principle-has
been admitted to the realm of con-
science, and when it has been admit
ted to the realm of international pol
itics we will have peace. Your pres
ident was right when he said that
the principle of any stable govern
ment must be laid on the principle
OF self-determination.
Explains Stand on League.
when | make a special appeal to
the people of our race, | do it be-
cause know that there are no truer
Americans than those that love Ire,
land. We have a glorious chance
in this time of the worlds history
to be leaders in the vanguard of
civilization. My main appeal how
ever, is to the body of the Ameri-
can people. | am not here to op-
pose the league of nations, but we
are opposed to an unjust league of
nations. wild applause)
81 have heard Americans say that
they could help lasting peace by
keeping out OF the league of ma
tions. That is question for Ameri-
cans to say whether they want a
league But when you attempt to
make a league of nations that will
affect our destiny, then We have a
right to come here.
An Unholy Alliance.
Look at the league of nations
which they propose to stablish. Is
it league of nations at all? Il is
a league of powerful nations-a
camouAage ofunholy alliances. Read
it through and you will find that it
is an instrument to preserve the loot
and plumber which they have OBJ
tanned by unjust means The league
Of nations was proposed to prevent
war 1t does not remove the rule
of might, nor does it preserve the
rule of right"
De Valera asserted that the
covenant of the league does not
provide for an impartial worlds
court to which Ireland might go to
present her cause against England's
claim which, he alleged, was backed
by brute force. He added that the
selfsame rea son which prevented a
hearing for Ireland at Paris would
prevent hearing before the pro-
posed court of the league of nations.
He argued that, under articles II
and IS of the covenant, Ireland
would be denied hearing on the
grounds that the subject in question
would be domestic one for Great
Britain to settle.
1--WE are coming to the court of