The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-11-12
WE FAVOR IRISH
INDEPENDENCE,

The following letter and enclosed
resolutions have been received from
the American Commission on Irish
Independence with request for pub
licity:
To the Officers and Members of Or
ganized Labor:
Greeting:
The American Federation of La
Dor, at the Montreal convention of
1920, unanimously adopted a resolu-
ton in support of the Republic of
Ireland, copy Of which is enclosed
herewith.
TO make this resolution effective,
it has been decided to establish a
American Commission on Irish In
dependence, for the purpose of CEN
tralizing the tremendous power and
influence of the men and women
Of organized labor in the great
struggle of the Irish people for the
maintenance of their duly establish
ed republic, and official recognition
of it by the American government.
The purpose of this letter is to
request your organization to select
voluntary committee which will
undertake to cooperate and assist in
making effective the declaration of
the American Federation of Labor
upon the Irish situation.
1t is impossible to get reliable in
formation concerning Ireland thru
the newspapers and magazines of
the United States, which are either
owned outright by British interests,
or are under British control and in
fluence. Their purpose is to poison
public opinion against the Irish re-
public, and cover up the reign of
terrorism, murder and bloodshed,
through which the British Empire
hopes to crush the Irish people.
The Labor Bureau proposes to
keep the organized workers of the
United States accurately informed
as to just what is happening in Ire
land, and if ocrasion arises, to take
such action as will strengthen and
hearten the Irish people in their
struggle for liberty and justice. In
this we hope to have the hearty
cooperation of your organization.
A. F. of L. Resolutions
Whereas, The American Fedora
ton of Labor has approved the eff
forts of the Irish people to estab
ernment, and in the exercise of their
right to select their own form of
government have, by vote of an over
widening majority of the Irish peo-
pie, established the Irish republic; !;
and
Whereas, The English government
is now seeking to destroy, through
military forces, the republican form
of government already established
by the Irish people; and
Whereas, The House of Represen-
tatives, the Senate of the United
States, the British Trades Union
Congress, the Labor Movement of
Australia, the American Federation
of Labor, as well as the liberty
loving people of the world, have
urged the English government to
fully recognize the rights of the
Irish people to govern themselves;
Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the American
Federation of Labor, in convention
assembled, confirms its recognition
of the Irish Republic, and respect
fully requests that the military
forces of occupation in Ireland be
withdrawn from that country, and
that the Irish people be accorded
the right of self determination, the
same as all other nations recently
given their complete freedom, as
enunciated in the declarations of
the president of the United States,
comprising the IA points, all of
which were solemnly agreed to by
the British government and it's al
lies in the recent World war, and
that we tender our aid to the peo-
pie of Ireland in their efforts for
freedom, to the end that Ireland be
permitted to, take its place among
the free nations of the world; and,
be it further
Resolved, That we, the American
Federation of Labor, in convention
assembled, appeal to the workers of
England, Scotland and Wales, and
ask that they exert their powerful
influence, to the end that their gov
ernment officials, at present in
power by the votes of the people
of England, Scotland and Wales, i'm
mediately withdraw the army of oc-
cupation from Ireland, and permit
the Irish people to peacefully pur.
sue their lives under the form OF
government which they have estab-
ished through laws made by them
selves and executed by their duly
al fnA NEE tAIa