The Irish standard., 1920-05-01
o.ya1day. May I. l9x

New Orlensa, April 23-After mar
row escape from serious injury in a
train wreck at Bay Minette, Ala, Pres
ident deValera arrived here last night.
Although nine hours late, he was met
at the station by large crowd that
welcomed him enthusiastically to the
Crescent City.
Reports had been current here that
the President had been injured in the
head-on collision of his train with an.
other passenger train at Bay Minette
But on arrival here, he smilingly ex-
planned that he only ''got wet little"
as result Of the crash.
Despite the protest of Major Braithe-
waite Wallis, British consul-general
here, the President was given splen-
did reception as a distinguished WIS.,
itor, and today was granted the free
dom of the city by the municipal gov
ernment.
Last evening at Loyola University,
where he was awarded the degree of
Doctor of Laws, President deValera
spoke of the necessity of bringing in
ternational law into accord with the
natural laws of right and justice, en-
phasizing that international law that
sanctions the slavery Of peoples is no
law at all. After series of receptions
the President tonight will address a
huge mass-meeting at the Lafayette
Theatre, resuming his tour tomorrow
morning with the first stop at Mobile.
In his invasion of Dixie, the Presi-
dent has found ample evidences of the
willingness of the southland to accord
full support to the determination of
Irishmen to be free. From the Po-
tomac to the Gulf, huge crowds have
been fired with enthusiasm for the
new Ireland by the stirring appeals of
the soldier statesman. His audiences
have not been composed, as in other
parts of the country, largely of men
and women intensely conscious of Irish
descent. But the south can thrill to
the story Of the oppressed-and at
every step Eamon deValera has been
made to feel that he is in land where
sympathy for him and his cause is in
stinctive. The south is quick to meas
ure man, and the calm strength, the
simple dignity and gentleness of the
Irish leader have been as striking as
the invincible logic of his appeal.
The only Objectionable feature of the
present tour is the effort being made
by individual posts Of the American
Legion to prevent the visit of the Pres.
tdent to some cities of the south. At
Columbia an invitation to address the
students of the University of South
Carolina was rescinded by the univer-
sity authorities under pressure of the
local post of the Legion. In Jackson
vile the Legion attempted to prevent
the welcome of the Irish leader to the
city, but despite its attitude, the many
friends of the Irish republic insisted
on the Presidents coming and well
coined him enthusiastically when he
did arrive.
In Birmingham the local post of the
Legion prevailed upon the City Com
mission to pass resolutions disapprov-
ing the Presidents visit. However,
there came Immediately storm Of
protest against the Legion's and City
Commissions action from hundreds Of
ex-service men in the Alabama city,
who have insisted on the original plans
for the Presidents visit being carried
out. He will visit Birmingham next
week, arrangements having been made
for an escort of 250 service men to
march with his automobile from the
station to his hotel.
Leaving Washington, on April 8,
the President, accompanied by DR.. ].
A. H. Irwin, Presbyterian minister and
educator of Ulster; Mrs. Irwin and
two secretaries, stopped first at Nor
folk, Va. Speaking at the armory to
a huge crowd, the President gave a
competent answer to those who would
deny recognition to the Republic, be-
cause a small minority in Ireland pre-
fers inclusion within the British En-
pire.
"The degree of unanimity obtained
in Ireland" he declared, "is higher than
that by which your glorious union and
constitution were established. Had
complete unanimity been insisted upon
as a precedent to your independence,
as some people pretend to believe it
should be insisted upon in the recog-
milton Of ours, then you would not be
today as you are, a united nation, the
greatest on earth, with unified terri
tory that is a continent and a popula-
| THE RFAVIc