Arizona republican., 1921-03-17
DE VALERA DECLARES THREE
 F0URTHS OF IRISH PEOPLE READY TO DIE FOR FREEDOM
IRepubIican A. p. Leased Wirel

DUBLIN, March 16.-Eamonn de Valera, leader of the Republicans and ..president of the Irish republic gave a personal interview today to the As sociated Press correspondent This is the first interview he has accorded any newspaper representative since his return from the United States to Ire land
 '.If any proof of the extraordinary precautions taken by his followers to insure his protection were needed, it was afforded by the care taken in es- corting the correspondent to and from his presence.
 For an hour after leaving the core spondent was under the closest sur veillance not only from it's escort, but from everybody in Dublin In the con- versation which lasted three quarters of an hour, Mir. de Valera told of the impressions he had brought back from America and remarked:
 "The saddest thing there to me was to see the Irish question treated by so many people as if it were a re- ligious wrangle. It is not a religious question. even in so far as the defenses here between the north and the south are concerned"
 He spoke bitterly of the English gov ernment's lack of principle and states manship.
 England" he said, "is trying to win by playing on human weakness. As a matter of fact, though it does not real ize it, England is playing not on the weakest. but the strongest quality of the Irish people :. . their spiritual quality. The young men of Ireland are saying to themselves: At best the span of life is only 70 years. We must all die; so why not now in circumstances like these% Never perhaps as by dying in such a cause as Ireland S could we do so much for the worid. .
 England may try to contend that men like those executed in Mount Joy were murderers- She will find it much harder than she imagines to get the world to accept that view"
 The Irish leader is in excellent health. but his friends in America would hardly recognize him, for he is on the run and naturally does not re- veal himself unnecessarily. He looks extremely fit and conveys the impress sion of being free from any sense of personal danger.
 The volunteer who conducted the correspondent to MT De Valera's resi- dence said that despite the protests ot his friends, De Valera persisted ir working from a. m. to Il D. m. The intensity of his concentration was shown today by the fervor of his ex- position of the Irish cause and its righteousness
 Until 15 minutes before the inter- view took place, the correspondent had no intimation that 1t would be ac- corded. A questionnaIre for submis- sion to the president had been pre- pared ard the correspondent was pro- ceeding to the rendezvous for that purpose when suddenly he was invIt- ed to climb into the side car of a mo. torcycle and don goggles which blind folded him. The car sped througr Dublin by an intricate route and afte, an indeterminate period the core. spondent found himself in a well fur. nished living room and soon in tho presence of De Valera.
 Twice after leaving the house the correspondent was held up and ex- amihed, first by members of the Irisl republican army within sight of tho presidents residence and second. for. tuitously by the mayor.
 When asked if he intended to issue 2 St. Patrickis Day message. particularly 1 to the people of America, MT. Dt Valera said;
 T think the people of America m. derstand, and if the other peoples o1 the world have not yet realized that il | is might and right contending in thi. awful struggle, it will be futile to en- deavor to move them by mere words Those whom midnight assassinations | callous executions, wanron shootings torturings, lootings. devastation. failed to touch. no message could ar | feet. Those will continue to dream perhaps of some future day when Jus. l tice and right shall reign, but with.
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