Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-07
EAMONN De VALERA
VISITS WILMINGTON
Welcomed at Meetings m Behalf
Of ireland in Two Halls
Last Night.

ramonn De Valera, hailed as "the
first president Of the Irish Republic,
who addressed the Legislature IN Dover
yesterday afternoon, was gwen cordial
reception la AT night In Knights Of Column
bus Hall. So great was the crowd that
came to hear him that he was called upon
to address two meetings, one in Knights,
of Columbus Hall, Tenth and West
streets. and the other in Knights OF
Pvthias Hail. 600 West.
Accompanying Mr.. DE Valera was
Rev. J. A. III. Irwin, a Presbyterian minis
ter from Belfast, and his wife. DR..
Irwin spoke at both meetings also.
Upon the return of the party to Will
mington shortly after O'Clock last night,
they were accorded an enthusiastic
greeting by crowd at the Pennsylvania
station. MIR DE Valera and DR.. Irwin,
Mrs Irwin and the members OF the
reception committee went TO the mavors s
office, where thev were received by the
oity's chief executive. Mr. DE Valera was
presented 10 Mayor Taylor by L. =.
Dnherty. The two men exchanged
warm greetings.
Following the reception in the mayors
office there was a banquet IN the club
room Of the Hotel du Pont, attended by
81 guests Mr.. DE Valera expressed his
appreciation at the cordial greeting
gwen him by the city. Several Others made
short addresses.
.LEA FOR FREE IRELAND.
Former City Soclitor John +. Malloy
presided at the meeting IN the n. Z.
hall and John f. Healy in Pythian Castle.
Mr. DE Valera made fervent appeal
e. the audience 90 support the cause OF
recognition for the Irish Republic.
MR.. prvALERs's ADDRESS.
'The Irish ncople." MIR DeValera said,
task for nothing but what Is theirs by
every title. They want nothing but their
own countrv-shall those who but a short
time ago proclaine that no nation
should be force under a sovereignty
under which IL did not desire 60 live
hand Ireland over now Go crushe and
exploited by forei yncrs who have no more
night 10 Ireland than the footpad 20 the
purse of the traveller he has robbed at the
pistol point2 Shall peoples that fought
against militarism and imperialism a few
days ago now lc a their countenance TO
niitarism in its most naked form2
England has no right IN Ireland. Sell
fish interests, imperial and commercial,
she NAV have Are these selfish interests,
even If real, to be gwen precedence over
Ireland right2 That she may bc mistress
Of the Atlantic Ocean Britain wants TO
retain possession of Ireland for the Irish
harbors lis IL Just that this selfish interest
OF hens for imperial domination should be
accepted as an excuse for deprivlng our
ancient nation of its right co live, II right
20 develop in It's own way, along Its own
lines of culture-rcspectlng equally the
rights of other nations and seeking To lord
10 over no one7 Britain also wishes to re-
- y - Il.
tinuc 10 exploit il commercially as IN the
past. Is il jus that the people Of Ireland
should be deprived of their right TO use the
requires of their own country IN order
that a foreign people might batten upon
them? If il is just, what nonsense it Is
- speak OF he equal rights of nations,
the small with the great!
Tho British government seeks TO Use
Ireland today, exactly as the same govern
ment used the colonies prior TO '16. Their
action is based on the self same theory
that only the people Of Britain have rights
ard that IL is their peculiar privilege to
use other peoples for their benefit. The
conditions in Ireland today are exactly
those of your Revolution. There Is the
same eonscienceless invasion Of the hber-
ties of the people, the same brutal at
tempt TO stamp out IN blood, a spirit that
II not sulUClGllAN accommodating ~
accustom itself TO the shackles of slavery
and also the same rlItal and unabashed
Misrepresentation Of the resistance with
which the attemp. is met. II Americans
want TO understand the conditions In
Ireland, today, ii Americans want to
understand the attitude Of England
toward Ireland, they need only study IN
detail the story Of 20. There is no people
that should understand Ireland's cause
as well as you-That is why we have
come 70 YOU first; that is why in you it is
that our highest hope hes.
The concrete question we are bringing /
before YOU j. this:
In Ireland today there are two govern |
ments-one, the native Irish republican /
government, the deliberated choice Of the |
people determined 10y a regular national /
election and obeyed by the people as its /
legitimate government, obeyed even 10 /
and death; the other, an |
alien government, forei gn military auto /
sratic satrapy with no other 80 notion than /
he bayonets OF its soldiery-maintain-
ng itself by brute force against the pro-
tests Of q whole nation. To which Or