Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-10-18
American Commission on Irish In
dependence to Promulgate
Bond Issue.
Frank p. Walsh and Col. p. III.
Callahan VIII Place
Bonds.
THOMAS MALoNEY A DIRECTOR.

For centuries now the British
financiers have controlled the banks.
the railroads, the mines. the mills.
the commerce, the shipping and the
trade of Ireland They would loan
no money and give no help or en-
couragement to any Irish enterprise
they did not approve. They would
approve no enterprise calculated to
make Ireland more prosperous. for
the less prosperous she was the mors
she had to depend on Great Britain
They approved none calculated In
support the population of ireland.
for the less populous she was the
easier was she held in subiection
They would approve none Calculated
to bring Ireland into contact with
other nations, for the more isolated
she was the harder 1t was for other
cations to learn the wrongs she
suffered and the more completely
was she at the mercy of Great
Britain.
The veto of the British financiers
extended to the whole economic life
OF the Irish people, and held back
, as with an iron hand all their trade
and industry. For example: II
cost more to distribute Irish prod
ucts within Ireland than to import
the same class of products from
England. 1t cost more to ship Irish
products. from Ireland to France
than to ship the same class of prod
ucts from the Continent to America.
The foreign trade of Ireland. al
though 1t is greater than that of
Norway or Sweden, is strictly a
British monopoly, exploited with the
two-fold object of furnishing profit
to British tradesmen and keeping
the Irish subject people. Ireland
is forced to buy from British capital
lists at their own price. She is
forced to sell to them al their own
price, The difference between the
cost OF Irish produce and the price
at which she must sell has been
determined not by supply and de-
mand, not by bargaining and trade.
not by Irish interests or Justice or
right or humanity, but by the arbi-
trary and selfish dictum of the
British financiers. And II is on that
difference that the Irish have had
to live, starve or emigrate.
Here is the whole grim tragedy
briefly told: In 1910 the population
OF Ireland was over 5000, 000;. in
1910 it was less than $500, 600. /.
The first and most imperative con-
cern of the Republic of ireland
therefore is to establish direct BUSH
ness and trade relations with other
nations, so that Irish initiative and
enterprise, and not British aims and
interests, will determine her in
dustrial life and activity. Realizing
this, the Dali Eireann has voted a
bond-certifiiate issue, to be distri-
buted in various countries wherever
the sons of ireland have gone before.
The portion Of this issue assigned to
America is ten millions of dollors,
and the American Commission on
Irish Independence, at the special
request of President De Valera made
to Chairman Frank p Walsh, has
undertaken to place this amount.
The organization for this purpose
is in progress of rapid formation and
will be broad enough to include Cove
non-Covenanters, Leaguers.
anti-Leaguers. Land Leaguers and
all others who have love or
sympathy with the purpose of a
people to be independent and
live their own life in freedom Col.
p. H. Callahan, of Kentucky, who
organized the Knights of Columbus
War Activities, was selected by
President De Valera to build up this
organization. primarily to place this
bond-certificate issue, although II is
also conducting the De Valera tour
and will endeavor to centralize all
Irish sentiment in this country.
Thomas ]. Maloney. President of the
Lorillard Tobacco Company. has
been selected by President De Valera
rs Director of Finance. The entire
is one of volunteer
contributed in the name of
ireland and liberty, without respect
TO race, creed or politics, devoted
with resolution and In a strictly
egal businesslike way to the free
iom of a noble and ancient people.