The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-05

Os F IeDruarN, lylS, prONlueu Dy resO- lution for the appointment of a Com mittee of Twenty-Five y the chairman, and instructed 1t to use all honorable means to secure for Ireland her right of seif-determination
 This general committee selected from Its own body Frank P. Walsh of New York; former Gov. Edward r. Dunne of Illinois. and Michael J. Ryan of Philadelphia, as a special Commission to go to Paris. The in structions of this special committee were as follows:
 To obtain for the delegates select cd by the people of Ireland a hear ing at the Peace Conference, and to place before the Conference. If that hearing be not given. the case of Ire land; her insistence upon her right Of self-determination; and to interna- tlonal recognition of the republican form of government established by her people"
 Upon their arrival at Paris a letter signed by all the commissioners was addressed to President Wilson. asking him to obtain from the British Gov ornment safe conducts for Ramon De Valera, Arthur Griffith and Count George Noble Plunkett, the repre- sentatives selected by the people of Ireland, from Dublin to Paris and return: and also asking him to accord an interview to the American Com mission.
 Tn response to this letter the Presi- dent wrote to Mir. Walsh. chairman of the Commission. granting him an interview, and fixing the time.
 The President gave an exhaustive hearing to the case as presented by MT. Walsh. and referred him to Col I xsfftf fr,ef fn that he believed the request a proper one. and that it should be granted.
 The entire Commission waited upon Col. House, advised him of the sug- Eestion of the President, and pre- scented the request in writing for safe conducts for Messrs. De Valera, Grif- filth and T1unkett- Col. House prom ised to take the matter up with Mir. Lloyd George immediately and to use every effort to have the safe conducts granted.
 Upon the following day Col House announced to tho Commission, who again called upon him fin a body. that he had communicated with the Prime Minister of England, and that in all Likelihood the safe conducts would be granted; but that Mir. Lloyd George was very desirous of having an in- terview with the American Commls- sioners personally and would be glad to have Chairman Walsh take up the matter of fixing the time and place for the meeting with Mir. Lloyd Georges Confidential Secretary, Mir. Philip Kerr.
 Tho Commission notified Col. House at once that they did not seek a con- ference with MT. Lloyd George; doubted very much the wisdom or propriety of meeting him, but finally agreed to do so a matter of cour- tcsy
 Later in the day the entire Com mission called upon Col. House and stated that, under no circumstances did they wish to be relegated to MT. Lloyd George on the question of the issuance of the safe conducts, bu, wore relying upon him, Col House as one of the American Commission CTS. to secure compliance with the request, if possible With this clear understanding they would meet the Prime Minister
 Mir. Lloyd George, on the plea ot being closely occupied with the prep aration of the German peace terms put or the proposed meeting with the delegates from time to time, covering n period of something like two weeks
 The American Commission finally called upon Col. House, explaine ec once moro that no part of the dutie. of their mission called for a meeting with Mir. Lloyd George, and asked hin to address a formal request for tho safe conducts for Messrs- De Valera Griffith and P1unkett, to Mir. LloyC George, and secure, if possible, prompt and direct answer to that re quest
 Upon the same day, and shortly be of mi ( Col House, Messrs. Sean T. O'Ceal laigh and George Gavan Duffy, tn representatives of the Irish Republii fin Paris, conveyed an invitation iron President De Valera to the Comnis sion to visit Dublin, and gave, amonj other reasons. the necessity for a con ference upon matters of grave i'm portance at the time transpiring il Ireland
 When we arrived at the oflce O Col House in the Hotel Gri11on tha evening to receive answer iron MT. Lloyd George, we found Sir VII Ham wiseman, the liason officer be tween the American and British Elm bassie in Paris. He presented tn apologies of Mir. Lloyd George for tn delay. and said that Mir. Lloyd Georg would like to fix time for the inter view upon some day of the followin week. MT. walsh, speaklnS Tor tn Commission. replied that if they wer to remain another week fin Paris be fore receiving an answer to their re quest for the safe conducts. they wish ed to use the tihne in a vistt to Irelan for the purpose of meeting the rep resentatives of the Irish people an of making a first hand investigatio of conditions in Ireland.
 As the passports of tho member of the Commission did not includ England and Ireland. 1t was neces Sary to have them amended, whic was expeditiously done, the amende passports reading that the member of the Commission were going to Ire land on an "unoficial political mis sion" and the forms of the pass ports were made diplomatic, whic greatly facilitated their movements.
 It should be noted that after tn visit to Ireland demands were mad in the English Parliament for a flu report from the Prime Minister as whether not 1t was true that h intended issuing safe conducts to tn