New-York tribune., 1920-06-20
'Nobody's Puppet,'
De Valera Asserts.
Answering Critics
Irish ''President'' Declares
Attacks on His Actions
at the Chicago Convention
Are ''Backstairs' Methods

Emon de Valera. "president Ct the
Irish Republic" who passed through
the city from Chicago on his way to
Pittsburgh, last night, characterized
the attacks upon him by the faction Of
the Friends of Irish Freedom, headed
by Justice Daniel f. Cohalan and the
Gaelic American" as "a tissue of mis-
statement
The Gaelic Am rican" charged that
De Valera frustrated the efforts Of
Justice Cohalan to get a plank into the
Republican platform at Chicago recog-
nzing the right Of the Irish people
TO self determination by insisting upon
more radical plank recognizing the
Sim Fem government Of Ireland,
adoption Of which was impossible. The
Irish organ charged also that $50,0O0
of the funds subscribed for bonds of
the Irish Republic were used by De
Valera to send to Chicago monde
script aggregation Of Individuals who
undid everything Justice Cohalan did
in getting plank into the Republican
PLATFORM
mis- reply to the attacks De Valera
asserted he was in this country as the
authorized repre- sentative Of the Irish
people and free to do anything he
deemed advisable for the cause.
Had Power to Use Funds
He declared the proceeds from the
bond sale went into the treasury of
the "Irish republic" and that he had
the authorization Of the Sim Fein gov
ernment to use whatever part Of these
funds he found necessary in the full
fillment of his mission. He intimated
that, had not the proceeds Of the bond
sale been placed absolutely under his
control, so that no part of the money
could be used without his signed au-
thorization, he would have placed him
self under control of the people who
held the purse strings
He declared his actions in America
cannot be determined by any aggrega-
ton of people outside of Ireland, and
that he refused to be anybody's pup
pet" Indirectly, he characterized JUS
tce Cohalan's tactics as "backstairs
methods" and that the plank urged by
Justice Cohalan misrepresented the
position of the Irish people.
De Valera asserted thrt the Friends
of Irish Freedom were not democrat
ically managed.
Says Charge Is Malicious
"The charge that have been guilty
of misuse of funds is without founda-
ton" De Valera declared. at is a
malicious charge. The money sub
scribed to the Irish issue bonds. wheth-
er here or in Ireland or anywhere
else. is Irish government money. the
property of the Irish nation. It was
subscribed for all legitimate govern
mental purposes. There is no purpose
so urgent as that OF securing recog
nition.'
De Valera declared that, fearing can
effort would be made to use the power
Of the purse" to make him "subservi-
ent to the wishes of others than the
Irish people," he wrote to the Sim
Fein government to grant him an APP
preparation out of its treasury that
he could use in the exercise of his
mission. This appropriation, De Va
lera said. was granted and it was part
Of this money that he used in Chicago,
he declared.
T believe that the people of Ire
land will be thoroughly dsappointed.'
said De Valera in conclusion. with
the action Of those of the friends Of
Ireland in America who we're guilty of
the methods used in Chicago to pre-
cent their chosen representative from
fulfilling his mission"