The Irish standard., 1919-10-25

Cause of ireland and Left with In
dubitable Assurance that the Great
State of Minnesota Would Not Be
Behind Her Sister States in Helping
to Free Ireland from the Tyrannical
Rule of Foreign King.
Ireland's great president visited
Minneapolis and st. Paul last Sunday
and Monday, and in the Twin Cities, as
elsewhere in his triumphant visit to
the nations four corners, President De
Valera was whole-heartedly received
and cheered to an echo; his appeals
were responded to enthusiastically;
his heart won the hearts of a million.
Here, as elsewhere, wherever there
are American patriots, wherever there
are freedomloving people who once
knew (though never with the martyr
knowledge of Irelahd) the torture of
being held in durance vile by an all
for-self militaristic foreign empire
wherever there are sane Americans
calmly desirous of knowing the truth
about Ireland-there Eamon De Valera
was given the hand of a freed people
and greeted with "Caed Mile Failte
Ghuth-a hundred thousand welcomes.
And the Twin Cities so greeted the
great man of Erin. There were few
with anglo-maniac bias who stayed
away for fear of hurting Master En-
gland and her dupes.
Yet we should not altogether de-
plore the negative attitude of the few
dissentients, for it is Opposition
makes hero great" And the Presi-
dent of Ireland is all the greater for
the hostility of the small fry. Jona-
when a true genius appears in the
world, you may know him by this sign,
that the ounces are all in confederacy
against him."
President De Valera and his assist
ants arrived in St. Paul Saturday eve
ming and was greeted by a crowd of
5000 citizens. He was escortedsto the
ST. Paul hotel, where he made his
headquarters during his stay in the
Capital City. At $3.50 a. m. Sunday he
went to st. Luke's church, St. Paul,
accompanied by the members of his
party and members of the st. Paul
Welcome committee, where he attend
ed mass. At 1880 o'clock he was ac-
corded reception at University club,
by the St. Paul chapter, Daughters of
the American Revolution.
Following the reception at Univer-
sity club, Mr.. de Valera laid wreath
at the foot of the Nathan Hale statue,
st. Paul, expressing as he did so his
admiration for the heroic American.
He declared that Irishmen, like Hale,
will gladly give their lives in the cause
of their country if needed.
Informal Luncheon.
An informal luncheon served at the
Saint Paul hotel was attended by about
$50 st. Paul men of Irish descent and
a number of guests who came to greet
the Irish leader.
After the luncheon, which was at
tended by Governor Burnquist and
Mayor Hodgson, de Valera was given
an ovation as he entered the St. Paul
Auditorium accompanied by the mem.
bers of the St. Paul reception commit
tee. The crowd of 5000 persons was
well provided with the Irish National
flags, of green, white and orange
which were waved while the crowd
rose to it's feet and cheered for several
minutes after he had mounted the plat
form.
Mayor L. c. Hodgs6n was introduced
by j. P. Kyle as the chairman of the
meeting. The Irish leader was pre-
sented to the audience by Mayor Hodg-
son.
Arriving Sunday evening in Mime
apolis at 8 o'clock sharp, he was i'm.
mediately escorted to the Minneapolis
Armory, where 1880 American citi.
zens enthusiastically received him and
his party. For twenty minutes the
audience stood upon it's feet and
cheered and waived American flags
and new Irish Republic flags, while
Ireland's president stood and gazed
with wonderment at the reception ten.
dered him.
Promptly at o'clock the doors of
the great armory were thrown open to
the public and by z o'clock every avail
able seat was taken. Thousands were
disappointed who were late and could
not force their way through the throng
for glimpse of the great. patriot.
President John Lynch, of the Friends
of Irish Freedom, in brief but en-.
thusiastic address, introduced Louis
Ritten, president Of the Minneapolis