Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-31
SAY PACT IS FATAL
TO ASPIRATIONS OF
WEAKER PEOPLES
Urge Senate Committee to
Vote for Rejection of
Document.
ALLEGE 1T MEANS ERIN'S
PERMANENT THRALLDOM
Speakers Declare They Represent
Twenty Million Irish-Ameri.
cans in Protest.
RICHMOND is REPRESENTED
ID. c. O'F1aherty Among Those to
Register Objection TO World
Covenant.
RICHMOND is REPRESENTED
d. c. O'Flaherty Among Those to
Register Objection TO World
Covenant
rBy Associated Press. !

NASHlNtJoN, August 3e.--Impas-
stoned protests against the league Of
nations were presented on behalf of
American lrishmen today at, hearing
before tho Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
In series Of dramatic appeals,
which repeatedly drew cheers from
the crowd tanning the committee
room, the spokesman declared the
covenant sought 10 pronounce a death
sentence upon the aspirations of the
irish people and to fastcn forever
upon lreland what they characterized
yoke OF British oppression.
Among the speakers. who said they
se,ooo,oo0 Americans of Irish origin.
Hlchaei j. Ryan. Of Philadelphia. and
Edward f. Dunno, former Governor
OF lllinois. members OF the American
nearing for Ireland at Versailles. An
opening statement was made by Daniel
Cohalan, justice OF the New York
Supreme Court, and the legal aspects
were summed, up by Boufke Cochran
also or Now York.
Greeks Ako Appear.
Rep personalities OF various Greek
societies also appeared before the com
s snitt ED during the day and made a
ment.
Outllght rejection OF the peace treaty
was asked by the Irish speakers who
charged that under the covenant Great
Britain would receive guarantee that
Ireland gain her undergraduates. HTe hee
domination, of the British fleet over
the seas, they also declared. would be
States.
In the Versailles negotiations. walsh.
Wilson's ideals all had been brushed
aside by the other powers. At the
open session when the league covenant
was approved, they said delegates in
all parts Of the hall tried 10 make pro-
leIis but e Iess sieneed By the steam
hgures OF the conference.
Paint Gloomy Picture.
OF conditions in iceland. where the
commission spent some time. the three
civil aw h nain been gi99mY Pe,ure
ciared. and local officials were being
s withoSt 1 and their homes searched
children were ground beneath a "des
potic' military rule whose eXcesses.
cnsi declared, the censorship had con
three commissioners said that ,hnv
i nad been referred to e. NJ House when
dent n VIE Wiiso 10 get hearing with Presi-
secretary Lansing had written them
r rnan II would be useless to press their
statesmen. i'' it'sh
4 G Urea Ri Britain. the speakers said, had
league TO help guarantee such out
IIasee as she was committing in Ire
Iand; Al the same time: they asserted,
I'm gland had been careful to preserve
a.sea power which gave her a grip on
every quart OF salt water in the world.
ana n, ~hich under present circumstances
the limited States "e"'hs'
w.. A,ith1nugh the committee originally
hearing. when presentation of the Ir inb
cause had been fairly launched II was
voted to extend the time for as long
aos Inc e SPEAKERS ,ha se desired. They took
~ a , brief opposing the views expressed
oH me witnesses was filed with the
Others The brief protested against INST
inc attempt Of representative Of a
Iaction in Ireland, known as the Sim
favorinE their movement in the IInitnS
States to bring the Irish question into
discussion of the peace treaty"
Memorial Is Presented.
Of Me: c h,nads Of the United States
all things to this republic and it's Con-
s srauenoa respectfully pray that the
rejected as direct violation of the
PRINCIPLES on which this war was
fought. IS they were defined by presis
UCuI w liSOH
Urged Freedom 500 Years.
ireland has been asserting CON
tinuously her claim - independence
for eight centuries. One-ffth OF this
entire population of the United States
is OF Irish extraction. We ask that
Ireland be not the only nation excluded
from the benefit of the glorious prin-
oiples enuncated by Mr.. Wilson as
those which the great war was fought
to establish. We especially denounce
Article y. OF the proposed league of
nations as device to stifle the con
science OF civilization and render it
impotent to condemn and by condemn
ing to end the oppression OF weak ma
lions enslayed by powerful neighbors.
1t impeaches the most creditable page
in our history and discredits the cir
cumstances and conditions ip which
our republic was born and our liberty
achieved.
"The conscience of civilization. the
only force to which tho oppressed can
appeal would no longer be able to
take effective jnrisdicatton OF wrongs
perpetrated by powerful nations on
weaker people. No struggling nation
has over achieved Its Independence ex-