Evening star., 1920-07-02
WAL SH DEFEATED
IN IRISH FIGHT;
GETS SUBSTITUTE
Democrats Sympathize With
ireland, Pledge Consist
ent Action.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 2.-Under a
plank adopted by the platform com
mittee the democratic party woul'
express sympathy with the aspir.
tions of the Irish people for self
government and pledge such action
the matter as would be consi sten
with international comfy and usaet
The action was taken after lont
debate. during which the committe'
rejected the subcommittee plank pro
posing to leave the question to the
league of nations and voted down the
proposal for a plank pledgins diplo-
matte recognition of the Irish re-
public.
Frank P. Walsh, who Is head of the
American commission on Irish freedom,
got before the committee at the re-,
quest of a caucus of about 200 Irish
sympathisers at the convention. H
told the committee that the subcom-
mittee plans proposing to leave the
Irish question te the league of ma
uens would be regarded by Irish
Americans as an evasion of the issue.
Walsh's Request Denied.
Mr.. Walsh was not permitted to
+ W
a request that he be given that priv
ilege being voted down after he had
gone into the committee room. The
motion that he be allowed to make an
argument was made by Senator Walsh
of Massachusetts,.
Members of the committee who op-
posed the motion pointed out that Mr.,
Walsh already had presented his case
in the committees open hearings and
that nothing was to be gained by TAX
ing time for its restatement
Bitter Row Develops.
The fight for Irish recognition in
the committee was led by Senator
New York. and developed a bitter
row, with increasing indications that
the question probably would have to
be settled finally on the floor of the
convention.
Meantime. the caucus of Irish SYM
pathizers reassembled in room
few feet away from the committee and
organized for struggle to the last
ditch. An executive committee of one
member from each state was selected
but when New York was reached the
rule was broken and several members
Murphy, the Tammany Hall leader
and Gov. Alfred e. Smith. were made
members.
Mr.. Murphy paid a visit to the eau
Gus room just as the delegates were
assembling. but he did not remain for
the meeting. Gov. Smith was not
present.
Tells Of Strong Minority.
When Frank P. Walsh returned to
the caucus he reported that the Irish
group had the sympathy Of a strong
fighting minority" within tho plat
form committee. He urged the dele
gates to get busy and strengthen
their hands.
Appeal to them to put their minor
fty report before the convention" he
said. "and then we can take it up
there"
He made public this statement Of
what he had intended to say to the
COMMITTEES:
The relegation Of this outstanding
American question to the proposed
league Of nations we deem an at
tempted evasion of clear political
duty, which must react destfuctively
upon our party throughout the nation.
'sThose who have favored the plank
presented to your committee by the
Friends of Irish Freedom and tho
American Commission on Irish Inde-
pendence absolutely repudiate 1t and
declare it to be cold and arbitrary
denial of the appeal Of millions of
your fellow citizens, regardless OF
race, to uphold the finest traditions OF
America by uneQuivocally declaring
in favor Of the recognition or the e1-
listing Irish republic"
Irish Plank Beaten.
The plank urging diplomatic recog-
milton of the Irish republic was rejected
by the platform committee. The group
of Irish sympathizers backing 1t said
the vote in the committee was II to
80.
senator Walsh Of Massachusetts,.
came out Of the resolutions committee
and addressed the caucus Of Irish SYM
pathizers.
'"There is no secret about the fact
that the committee has voted not to ac-
cent the plank on Ireland offered by the
representatives of the Irish people gath
cred here" he said, land that 1t has
adopted a substitute"
Under the principle of elf-determi-
nation voiced by President Wilson. he
continued, he would continue to support
efforts to get the convention to declare
for recognition of Ireland. THE finest
speech before the resolutions commit
tee," continued Senator Walsh, was
made by Filipino, who said the Philip
pine Islands wanted independence even
though the United States could do more
for them than they can do for them
selves. When I left the committee they
were discussing what America could do
for the suffering population Of Armenia"