The Irish standard., 1919-10-25

ming. Chairman Ritten then introduced
Harry ]. Boland, honorary secretary
of the Dali Eireann, the Irish parlia-
ment.
Defines "Sinn Fein."
Mr.. Boland, in beginning his address,
detailed briefly the insurrection of 1916
and the election of 1918, and said that
although the phrase "Sinn Fein" had
been painted as meaning anything
from an anarchist to an I. w. W." it is
really an Irish expression meaning
'For Self Reliance"
"The people of Ireland from 1859 to
the present time have never relin-
quished their claim to independent ma
tionhood," said Mr.. Boland. "We are
determined to battle on until Ireland
enjoys the freedom to which she is
entitled.
"With 103 of the leaders of Irish
Republican thought in jails, with the
empire, and airplanes dropping pamph-
let's warning the public against voting
for the republic, 73 out of 105 counties
voted for the republic. We want Amer
ica to honor this self-determination of
Ireland, as she has for the other ma
tions of Europe. We are the only
white people in the world compelled to
live under a rule that we oppose.
"No Ulster Question:"
"There is no Ulster question save
that of a dissension between a minor
I ity and a majority, without which
there would be no progress. The Prot.
estant patriot dead Of our country are
honored in every home in Ireland.
There is only one questionable En-
glish question in Ireland"
! Mr.. Boland discussed at some length
Ireland's position in the world war.
He said that Ireland had contributed
in proportion to its people and that
statements to the effect she had
stabbed the Allies in the back were
propaganda.
Before introducing President de
Valera, Mr.. Ritten presented the presi
dent with an embossed copy of the
resolution passed by the city council OF
Minneapolis on the 10th of October
inviting him to this city.
President de Valera, before begin
ming his address, spoke in the Gaelic
language for few minutes, delivering
a message of greeting from the people
of Ireland, which was enthusiastically
acclaimed by the large audience.
Speaking on the subject of the
I League of Nations, President de
Valera called attention to Article x,
which he asserted protects the terri
tory of members of the league from
/, external aggression.
"Do not do Ireland an actual injus.
tice by signing this covenant as it
stands" said the speaker. "Article x
is a guarantee in perpetuity of the
present dominions of the British EN-.
pire and would enable Great Britain
to call upon the other members of the
league to attack America if you should
attempt to come to Ireland's assist.
ance.
"The League of Nations covenant
does not prevent the Irish people
from rebelling. No covenant could dc
that. But history has shown that in
every struggle, by every nation that
has freed itself from oppression ond
won the right to govern itself, there
The first is struggle from within
The second is aid from without. With.
out this latter, even your own country
might not have won so readily in its
fight for freedom Only recently your
men returned from France after paying
Americas debt to La Fayette.
! "Takes Away Liberty"
"The league attempts to take away
that most important factor in the OBJ.
tanning of liberty-help from the out.
side.
"If Spain, for example, took the side
of Ireland and came to her help in her
fight for liberty, the terms of the cove.
nant would enable England to array
every nation, including your own,
against Spain. 1t would be violation
of Article X-for Ireland under the
present covenant is part of the terri.
torial possessions of Great Britain. and
the territory of members is expressly
safeguarded from external aggression,
which no doubt this would be. Spain
would meet a world leagued in arms
against her.
Spain could have arrayed every ma.
tion in the world against, the United
States if the league covenant had been
in force at the time of the Spanish.