The Irish standard., 1920-04-24

without being prepared to sacrifice
some amount Of its sovereignty to the
international organization.
Referring to the claim of opponents
of Irish independence that because of
her geographical proximity to England,
Erin best could be served by allying
her interests with Great Britain, the
President pointed out that any natural
forces which might have served to
bring England and Ireland closer to.
gether had been prevented from Oper.
ating by reason of England's domina-
tion of her neighbor. Recognize Irish
independence, remove the armies of
occupation. he said, and il there are
any forces likely to bring England and
Ireland into cooperation, they will find
expression. But, he declared, there is
no opportunity so long as Ireland is
kept in subsection.
The President pointed out that Sim
Fein was neither term of selfishness
or self-sufficiency Sim Fem, he said,
inculcated into the Irish democracy
the spirit Of self-reliance. 1t taught
ireland to take stand on her God
given right of independence, preaching
the doctrine of self-reliance and refus-
Ing to barter her nationhood for the
status of an English shire or province.
The time now, he emphasized, was
for acts, not words. America fired the
world with the gospel of liberty for all
peoples. The question now for Amer.
lea is simply this: Which will It rec.
ognize as the official organ of the Irish
nation, the alien government of might
or the native government of right?
The one has no sanction but that Of
brute force, the other has the supreme
democratic and moral sanction of the
consent of the governed. Can Amer.
leans hesitate in deciding which it
shall be? Will Americas place not be
today also ION the side of the free
institutions"
Senator James d. Phelan, of Cali.
fornia, who travelled from San Fran
cisco to be present at the dinner, was
greeted enthusiastically when intro
duced by Toastmaster John Milholland
as one Of 1reland's strongest and most
sympathetic friends in American pub
lie life.
'The men and women of the Irish
race from the Atlantic to the Pacific"
said Senator Phelan, "have distin-
guished themselves in the constructive
and administrative work of govern
ment, and, in fact, in every department +
of human activity. AS was said of
the Romans, Indeed what part Of the
earth is filed not with their labors?'
This indicates two things: that, II the
Irish are capable abroad, they are
capable at home, and that they demand
in their own land what has been freely
given to them elsewhere, and they
wish to do for their own land what
they have, by their activities, done for
other lands. There is no question
about the Justice of their position,
and Justice is the permanent interest
Of the world. There can be no stable
equilibrium until Justice is done.
Then again, the Irish race and influ-
ence reaches the remotest countries
South America, Australia, and South
Africa-and 1t is united uncompromis-
ingly in demanding Justice for Ireland.
There can be no world peace, there I
fore, until It is granted. The great
English.speaking people Of the British
Empire and America, If not working at
cross purposes, can preserve world
wide equilibrium and the peaceful pur-
suits Of trade, and, inspired by worthy
ideals, united, can make the unwritten
law Of the world. They can make and
preserve peace. But, IT, from every
continent, the Irish race is glaring ct
England with hostile eyes, eager for
q trial Of strength, which would neces-
sarily embroil other countries, there
can be no world peace. Ireland must
be reconciled.
1.-THE United states sympathises
with the heroic struggle Of Ireland.
The House and the Senate have passed
resolutions Of encouragement, which q
should be received BY England - =
~ (Contnued % Page s.