South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-17
HOW IRISH PLANK WAS LOST.

South Bend. Ind. June IS, 1920.
Editor News-Times:
Permit me as a delegate OF the
American Commission on Irish In
dependence TO the republican con-
ventiou in Chicago 10 correct some
mis-statemcnts of fact i'm your edi-
torial The Irish and the @. O. 2. -
I'm order that YOU may understand
my viewpoint 1 will state that
write as one who has been "a re-
publican
At the Chicago convention the
platform committee was made up
OF one delegate from each state.
This committee appointed a sub
committee Of thirteen, OF which
subcommittee Sen. Watson. Of In
diana, was chairman. Two resolu-
tiOns were presented in order that
the republican party might have no
excuse for evading the Irish issue.
The first resolution called for the
reCoEniti,S OF the de facto and de
jure republic Of Ireland. The sec
ond resolution called for an express
sion OF sympathy for people strug-
Cling for liberty and recognized the
principle that the Irish people had
right 20 self-determine the form
OF government they wished 10 live
under
The first resolution was defeated
by vote OF twelve 10 one. The sec
ond resolution received six affirma-
tive and six negative votes. Sen.
Watson. the chairman, thereupon
declared u lost. Sen. Borah vigor-
ously replied, Like hell il is. The
representative from the state OF
Michigan thereupon told Mr.. Wat
son If he declared IL lost, he was re-
sponsible. because his ruling i'm
piled a negative vote on his part.
Sen. Watson made no reply Short
ly afterwards he left the meeting OF
the subcommittee and was gone
about fifteen minutes; when he re-
turned he Immediately called up
the Irish plank and voted in the
affirmative
no doubt. when he left that inn
portaut meeting of the sub-commit-
tee he was out taking orders from
the small group OF economic kaisers
who pulled the Strings at the re
publican convention At any rate,
the next day when the republican
platform was presented 10 the large
committee or As. the Irish plank
was ruled defeated" by Sen Wat
son after a viva voce vote and this
despite the fact that we had 81
members on the large committee
pledged favorably towards the Irish
plank. In the excitement and IN
the locking i'm that committee the
Irish plank was sacrificed in the
interest OF our captains OF finance
who owe economic allegiance 70 the
bank of England
With reference 70 the opinion YOU
express as 20 the manner in which
we Americans have handled the
Irish independence question. may 1
state for your euiEhtenment that
i'm am our acts. we have followed the
example Of the fathers Of the
American republic who sent Ben
jamin Franklin TO ireland 10 Sc
cure the sympathy and II need be
later. the aid Of the Irish in the dis
pute between the Colonies and Eng
land Franklin i'm his writings as
serted that the Irish were with the
colorlsts % man. After the revo-
luton Washington and the CONT
mental congress thanked the irish
people for their aid and the Eng
fish generals who lost the revolution
reported 20 the house OF lords that
the American revolution was a sue
cess Ia large part because OF the
"rcbcl'i0us Irish
In the light OF these facts I sub
mit that the trip Of the Irish dele
gates 20 Paris is no more foolish
than the trip OF Franklin TO Paris
and Ireland
trust that In the interest OF
truth and liberty YOU will give the
same prominence 20 this reply as
you have 10 your editorial.
Yours very truly.
Davfaf TN,Efof-r