New-York tribune., 1921-01-01
Secretary Declares ssPres-
ident'' Has Arrived I'M
Ireland, but London
Lacks Its Confirmation
Celtic Adherents
Here Overjoyed
Secret Trip Made to Re-
deem Vow to Share Fate
ofM'Swiney Unnecessary

Eamon De Valera landed In Ire
land yesterday morning, according
to an announcement made here BY
his secretary, Harry Boland- All
day the headquarters Of the Ameri-
can Commission for Irish Freedom,
at All Fifth Avenue, was thrauged
by well-wishers of the Irish cause.
jubilant at this new evasion Of Brit
ish vigilance by the man whom Irisl
revoluti0nares elected President o.
the Irish Republic" while he was 4
fugitive from British Justice.
To most of them the announce
ment that De Valera was in Ireland
was far from being a surprise,
though few are believed to have
known of his actual departure fror
these shores. His unexplained au
sence and the cancellation of hi
lecture dates since December 10
when he vanished from the Waldorf
Astoria, leaving merely the explana
ton that he was i'll and needed {.
rest, long ago convinced most Iri8f
sympathizers that De Valera was or
his way to keep the pledge he MAD
that if Terence MacSwiney died b.
would return to Ireland and give hi
life for the cause.
NO Confirmation I'm London
LONDON was without confirmation
the announcement made here that D.
Valera had landed in Ireland. 1t vas
thought in London, however, that if h.
had returned to ireland it was in cor
nection with the truce negotiations
still pending between members of ths
Sim Fem organization and the GOV
ernment.
A farewell message to America
which De Valera wrote before sailinr
was made public by Mr.. Boland. In j
he said:
q came to you on holy mission.
the mission Of freedom; | return to ms
people who sent me, not indeed as ! had
dreamed II, with the mission accom-
that viii cheer in the dark days that
have come upon them and thac will in
splre the acceptance Of such. sacfifcC~
as must yet be made"
The few who are in the secret Q
the departure of De Valera from Amer
ca are keeping il securely. Harry Eo-
land, who tacitly admitted that he wa
one of the inner circle who know, re
fused to give the slightest hint con-
corning the method adopted by De
Valera.
"Just say that he went over on the
presidential yacht" was the one answer
to such que tions. Inquiry in shippine
quarters was as un: satisfactory. No
name or description fitting him could
be discovered in passenger or crew
lists OF steamers sailing since he dis
appeared. although passports ere re
CURED with vises of the representative
OF countries to which pas engers ana
crews are going, and persons signing
OF as crews must sign before a United
States Shipping Commission, establish
inF their identity
Since December 10 the passenge1
steamships Aquitania, Adriatic and
kaiserin Auguste Victoria have de
parted for British ports, and some
irelghters also. But the only freighteg
clearing for Dublin was the steame.
Pontia, due there yesterday.
Passage Remains Mystery
Interested guessers considered it pos
sible that De Valera crossed as q stow
away, managing to escape after th.
vessel docked. His method of comm
to this country has never been r.
vealed, but it was thought that he cam
either as stowaway or stoker. y
made appearance in New York O.,
June %, 1919, after q period of my
terious silence, when he was suppose
to have gone from ireland tc Englan1
He had escaped to Paris from sn Eng
lash prison in February, 1919; was NJ
titled there of his election as pre-
dent Of the Irish Republic" reappesre'
in ireland, attended the "Sinn Fsi'
Parliament" and then disappeared one
more, to cross the Atlantic before CON
ing into view again.
Here he took & suite at the WaldorS
Astoria, and launched a campaign 70
funds and for recognition Of the "re
publ G" by the United States. Fl
toured the country. addressed state les
islatures and received university d.
grees and other honors. but was hfsseo
as we'll as cheefed in Blrm lngham, AIS
and prevented from speak .ng IN Sout
Legion members rushed his automobile
and tore down his flags.
In October, 1919, De Valera wac IL
formed of h S reelection asi~Presideut.
He then made second tour IN hehsL
Of the "Irish Republic loan"
De Valera disappeared on June
1920. to appear two days later in Chi
csgo, where he tried to have an Iris
plank introduced in the plssforr,
adopted by the Republican Nations
Convention. Tho Republicans vuelo
not recognize him. He went to ss
Francisco, 20 the Democratic Nations
Convention, but there his plank was
rejected also.
De Valera Toured Country
From ..ugust, Chen De Valera VA,
reported missing again for few daye
he had been speaking In all parts O.
the country. until in December it wa,
announced that because OF illness h
must suspend his tour. He dictated
statements for the newspapers, frcn
his bed at tho Waldorf but
on Occenlher IN 81 bsertns ~, cs-r.. Ak>A