New-York tribune., 1919-08-31
Republican Foes of League
Join in Tumult of Cheers
as Enjoys, Rebdffed at
Paris, Assail England
Walsh Foresees Rebellion
Nothing Could Dim Wilson's
Record More Than Ratify-
ing Pact Says Cochran


had its day in court-refused its rep
resentatives at Paris-beforc the Sen
ate Foreign Relations Committee in
what amounted to an all day hearing
to-day. Bourke Cochran, Justice Co.
halan, Michael j. Ryan. Ex-Governor
Dunno of Illinois, Frank P. Walsh and
a host of other prominent Irish Demo
Gratis tore the league of nations cove
nant and the peace treaty to shreds
while an enthusiastic crow! of Irish
American men and women packed the
big committee room and overflowed
down the corridors, cheering their
speakers.
All day long, save for brief recess
for lunch and short hearing of the
Greeks who wished to protest against
the treaty giving Thrace to Bulgaria,
the speakers pounded the treaty.
Cochran Speech Praised
Bourke Cockr>S made what Senator
Lodge afterward declared TO be the
greatest speech of his life. Even Sena-
tor Phelan, Of California, who is not
on the committee, but who has been
counted to vote with the President
without waverng, Joined in the wild
tor Brandegee forgot his normal legal
formality and iSined in the tumult.
The stronger the attack on the
league or treaty, apparently, the better
the big crowd of Irishmen and women
liked it, judging from the applause.
Jeers greeted Mr.. Cockran's reference
to the Presidents suggestion for a
separate resolution embodying the OBJ
jections of this country to the cove
nant and treaty.
1--WE citizens of the United States Of
Irish blood" said memorial read to
the committee, "but attached above all
things to this Republic and its consti-
tuition, respectfully pray that the pro
posed treaty now before you be rejected
as direct violation of the principles
were defined by President Wilson.
Denounces Article X
"Ireland has been asserting continu-
ously her claim to independence Tor
eight centuries. One-ffth of this entire
nonulation of the United States is of
Irish extraction. We ask that Ireland
be not the only nation excluded from
the benefit of the glorious principles
enunciated by Mr.. Wilson as those
which the great war was fought to
establish. We especially denounce Arti-
Gle X of the proposed league Of nations
as devi - stihe the conscience OF
civilization a-d render 1t impotent 10
condemn and by condemning to end the
oppression of weak nations ensiaved py
powerful neighbors.
."The conscience of civilization, the
only force to which the oppressed can
appeal, would no longer be able to take
effective jurisdiction Of wrongs perpe-
trated by powerful nations on weaker
people. No struggling nation has
ever achieved it's independence except
through the aid of other nations
Sees British Sea Menace
Taking particular exception to the
league of nations proposal, justice
Cohalan declared it would be "lntoler-
able" to give Great Britain SIX Votes
in the league assembly to one for the
United States.
"We fought" he said, "to destroy
autocracy, which means not only mill
tarism. the control of the land. but
also navalism, the control of the sea
We contend that the position of the
British fleet is made such by this
treaty that it can be used only against
the United States. Germany and Rus
sia are in no position to contest 1t
and France practically has been turned
into a continental vassal of England
"If we enter into a scheme which
leaves to another country the mastery
of the seas we place ourselves volun-
tarily in the position where we shall
carry on commerce with other coun-
tries as matter of privilege instead
of as q matter of right We are asked
also under the proposed plan practic-
ally to give up the Monroe Doctrine
1--WE insist that this is in no sense
q league of nations, but is simply a
cover for an Anglo-American alliance
under which the freedom of Amercs
would be abridged and the power OF
the governing classes in England per
manently secured"
Mr. Walsh, chairman Of the Amer
lean commission on Irish independence
declared the league would put more
than half the world in rebellion. He
said he always had been Democrat
land almost pacifst," but that the
best friend President Wilson has j:
the man who will stand up and "kee,
him from the great mistake he is abou
to make"
Offers Paris Data
Mr.. Walsh offered to give the com
mittee "in executive session" report
of the interviews between members O
the IrishAmerican delegation sent t.
Paris and President Wilson and othe
American peace delegates. At the sug
gestion of Senator Johnson, Republican
California. the committee voted to re
ceive the records and print them fo
public circulation.
When Ireland separated from Grea
Rritain III the uprising during the wa,
Mr.. Walsh said. they separated for
ever" The Irish were willing to "6gh
to the DEATH" he asserted, if it becam
necessary.
Describing his experiences at Pari:
where his commission was refused
hearing at the peace conference, NJ,
Walsh read the names of long lis
OF delegations from small nations VIII
called on the Irish Americans to as
why the fourteen points were bein
disrcgarded." The witness said he ur
derstood that the peace conferenc
drew lines on the map by mistake
IN several eases and got several ns
tionalities into the wrong nation.
Wr. Walsh said he was present a
the open meeting when the leagu
covenant was approved and that vari
Gus people were jumping up over tn
hall to make suggestions, but NJ
Clemenceau blandly said. there bein
no objection, the covenant is agree
to-"
The league covenant. Mr. Walsh de
clared, was "a perversion" of the idea
of the men who really wanted
league.
"No Interpretation and no amend
1.