The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-07
REPORT OF SHARP
DEBATE BE 7 WEEN
WILSON AND WALSH
IS SENT COMMITTEE
Report Declares President
Declined to Use Influence
to Get Hearing for Irish
Representatives at the
Peace Conference

Washington, September g.
While private negotiations pro-
ceeded today between senators
favoring strong" or mild"
reservations to the German
peace treaty, the foreign re-
latoins committee received a
report of a spirited discussion
of the Irish question at Paris
last June between President
Wilson and Frank P. Walsh
and former Governor Dunno of
illinois, who sought a hearing
before the peace conference for
the Irish nationalists.
The report was transmitted by the
Irish national bureau, experimenting
recent committee hearings. 1t said Mr.
Wilson declined to use his influence to
get a hearing for the Irish representa-
tives declaring that Messrs. Walsh and
Dunno, by Incorporate speeches In Ire
land, had made it impossible.
Treaties in existence, the President
also was represented as having declared
determination for subject peoples
No meeting of the committee was
held today, the memorandum, made by
Walsh and Dunno after their confer
ence with the President, being submit-
ted Informally and there was little dis
cussion of the treaty in the Senate,
Senator Norris, republican, Nebraska,
making the only address He called at
tention to the statement of the Presi-
dent in his st. Louis speech that Japan's
secret treaties with the allies were
made two years later
sMILD" FACTION CONFERS
The small group of republican sena-
tors advocating mild" reservations
conferred during the day and were said
to have agreed to oppose the committee
reservations, particularly that relat-
ing to article 10 OF the league OF ma
tons covenant.
The Irish memorandum, described as
notes of the conference between Presi-
dent Wilson and Messrs. Walsh ana
Dunno, made by the latter afterward,
teemed with sharp exchanges regard
ing the attitude of the President and
others of the American peace commits
sion on the irish question.
Mr. Walsh the memorandum recited,
suggested that the President visit ire
land and the President was said to have
replied:
Nov Walsh. if it is your intention
to go back TO America and try to put
me in bad, ] am going to say when 1
go back that we were we'll on the way
of getting Mr.. DeValera and his asso-
ciates over here we were well on the
way when you made it so difficult by
your speeches in ireland that we could
not do it; that it was you gentlemen
who kicked over the apple cart"
Mr. Walsh, in reply referred to dis
u, ISrifi oh r.
the efforts to secure safe conducts to
Paris for Eamonn de Valera and other
Irish nationaliSts. and the President
was represented as responding:
Now, Walsh, am not going to dis
cuss anything that was said in the
British House of Commons, or House
of Lords except to say this: that 1 was
making an effort and Colonel House
was making an effort, and that we
thought we were we'll on the way of
getting DeValera and his associates
over here but the speeches of you gen.
tlemen gave such offense that
the whole thing had to be abandoned"
DIDN'T CONSULT PREMIER
(. The President, the memorandum de-
clared, said he did not discuss with
Lloyd George the question of aiding
the De Valera mission and Mr.. Walsh
asked the President to give his aid.
The President, according to the dicu
ment, replied:
There is no use discussing that;
don't know what the British govern
ment would say and l have said all I
can say on ths subject.
Il want you gentlemen to under
stand that our position is this: That we
are dealing officially with those gov
ernments. You would not want us to
make representations or engage in an
effort that might involve the sending
of troops into Europe, and l know that
our people would not want that. What
I am saying to you is that we cannot
and under no circumstances could we
have at any time since we have been
here, do anything in this matter OF an
official nature, but / want to say to
you that / have the deepest sympathy
for Ireland and her cause. know l
speak for the others when I say that
all we could do unofficially we have
been doing and will do"
Regarding the presidents efforts to
translate the announced principle of self
determination of peoples into the peace
treaty, Mr.. Walsh. according to the MEM
orandum, quoted from the presidents adj
dresses saying that millions of people
relied on them In reply, til president
said, the communication continues:
You have touched on the great met
aphysical tragedy of today. My words
have raised hope in the hearts of mil
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