New-York tribune., 1920-12-30
so Americans
Organize Irish
Relief Board
Judge Morgan J. O'Brien,
Cardinal Gibbons, George
NJ. Cohan, N. F. Brady and
Others Among Officers
s 3 10000 Underwritten
Committee Said Not To Be
Bound to Any Political
OF Religious Factio IL

Fifty prominent Americans of Irish
ancestry from all parts Of the United
States met yesterday in the Offices Of
Judge Morgan ]. OBrien, 120 Broad
way, and formed the American Com
mittee for Relief in Ireland. A pre-
imnary fund OF 100000 was under
written to complete the work of organ
izaton and begin the administration
of relief and an appeal was drafted to
the American public.
At the earliest possible moment it
was announced, the committee viii
open permanent headquarters IN New
York and, meanwhile, will conduct its
affairs from the Office OF Judge Richard
Campbell, II Wall Street, who was
elected secretary of the temporary eX
ccutive committee. Judge O'Bricn was
designated its chairman, and j. J..
Pulleyn, president Of the Immigrants
Industrial Savings Bank, its treasurer.
The committee includes in its member
ship His Emincnce James Cardinal Glib
bons, Thomas +. Ryan. Nicholas F.
Brady, George NJ. Cohan, Senator
Thomas j. Walsh, of ssachusetts;
VI. II, q.
and others.
Above Factionalisn,
The new relief committee is affiliated
with neither Irish nor political fac
tlons IN any way whatever: it was said
by Senator Walsh, who made the am
nouncement, but is above factionalism
ana IS representative Of all the clements
of Irish Am ericanlsm.
"IhC sole and 0O1N flOct ion oF
organization,' he said, rs to do what
is possible to ameliorate suffering in
ireland, where people are starving and
where prompt action Is necessary to
prevent widespread distress. Cable
grams from the four Archbishops of
Ireland, in response to inquiries from
Cardinal Gibbons, say the need of re-
lief is immediate and imperative.
The presidents Of both the national
IRISH societies are included in tna men,
bership of the national council, and
no factionalism or other consideration
VIII arise to impede the efficiency of
the committees operation. Our pur-
pose is purely humane-bigger than
either political or factional issucs-and
viii have the united support Of all
lrlshmen, as we'll as thousands Of Amer
leans of other origin"
Senator Walsh said Herbert Hoover
had been consulted during the progress
OF the committees formation on the
best means of expediting relief.
Appeal to Public
The committees appeal to the public
says in part:
"To the American Public In Ireland
to-day thousands OF women and chill
dren have been driven to the pitiful
refuge Of the fields and open country.
Balbriggan, Granard, Tralec, Temple
more, Trim, Tobercurry. Lisburn, Thur
les and numerous other towns and viii
lagos have been burned and are in
ruins. In Cork alone acres of business
buildings and homes havo been wlped
ont by fire. And grim winter has over
taken the homeless
ITO meet this appalling situation
and to cope with it before it reaches
point where it may menace the very
existence of the Irish people, the Amer
l,can Committee for Relief in llcland
has been formed. This committee is a
on-.polltical and non-sectarian body,
solely humanitarian in aim, which
seeks the cooperation Of all those in
whom human suffering cvoKes SYM
Eathy.
This American committee purposes
to supply relief to the women and chill
dren in Ireland, without regard to
pollt1cal or religious distinctions,
through trained relief workers, dis
tributing ioodstuffs, clothing. building
materials and medical stores"