Republican farmer., 1919-02-28
DEMAND FOR IRELAND SELF DETERMINATION Want Same Right As That Given to Other Small
 Nations. 5000 ATTEND
 CONVENTION Friends of Irish Freedom Meet In Philadel-
 phia.

Philadelphia, Feb. 22-The right
 of the Irish to liberty was emphasiz-
 ed by the Very Rev. Peter E. Ma
 gannis. of New York, president Of
 the Friends of Irish Freedom in an
 address at the opening today of the
 convention of the Irish race.
 The purpose of the convention is to
 demand for Ireland the right of self determination, such as has been given
 to Poland, Czecho-Slovakia and oth-
 CT small nations. It will adjourn to-
 morrow. Five thousand delegates
 are meeting in the largest National
 Guard armory in the city.
 Dr. Magannis, who Is assistant
 general of the Carmelite order, said:
 The work before the convention
 of the Irish race is of supreme inn
 portance. Every day, every hour,
 nay, every moment must be offered
 up on the altar of that country'h freedom. Outside Ireland itself, the
 solution of the problem that is so
 near to our heart lies in America.
 For almost two years America ceased her gigantic. strides to pros
 perity and directed her steps to the
 bloody fields of Flanders. During all
 that time the voice of the great Presi-
 dent of this republic was ringing
 through the world announcing the glad doctrine of the freedom of all small nationaIities the soul-stirrtng principles of a worldwide democ- racy.
 Hence the all-important work of ] this convention is to ascertain-Did
 she turn away from her prosperous career and direct her steps to blood stained fields of Europe to the end that nations should be free and that
 the world shall be safe for democ- <Tacy? Did the voice of our great
 President ring true or did It ring with doubtful tone when he told the listen ing world the principles that have made America the great and prosper ous land she undoubtedly is? We have wept enough for Ireland; We have f1oried sufficiently in Ireland. now our duty to to work for Ireland, and to work in such a way that the world shall understand that our work Is the work of men who could die for Ireland
 Justice Daniel F. Coha1an. of the New York Supreme Court, said that unless the doctrine of self determina- ton be applied to Ireland. there can be no just and permanent peace
 coming out of the work of the Peace . Conference.
 When our great President laid 1 down the fourteen points upon which
 peace was to be made, a just, dur ' able and permanent peace,' said Jus l tice Cohalan. he placed no restric- ! tions upon the application of those doctrines. He said that self -deterrni- nation was to be given to all peoples 1 without condition or qualification. If now that doctrine is to be applied ] TN n ! pressed by the countries that were ! in arms against America, then our 1 struggles will have been largely in l vain, and no just or permanent peace ! can come as the consequences of this partial application of the Presidents i doctrine of self-determination. ! If the war just ended was fought only for the purpose of breaking down 1 one form of miIitarisrn in order to es 1 tablish more permanently another
 form of niltarism, the war will not ! have brought about the end for which ! the people fought and bIed and sac ] rificed; and war and a continuance of
 war instead of peace and permanent peace, will he the necessary outcome | of the settlement which fails to ap- ply the doctrine of self-deternination ] to all those who seek to be free.'' Delegates representing the friends i of Irish freedom, Ancient Order of ] Hibernians, Clan-na-GaeI and ether ] organizations desiring to see Ireland free from British influence are at 1 tending the convention. which will i end tomorrow. Cardinal Gibbons, 1 United States Senator Borah of Idaho. i Se1ator-eIect Walsh of Nassachu- setts, Governor SprouI of Pennsylva- mia and church digntaries from many
 sections of the country are on the
 program for addresses.