The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-03-16
BISHOPS ELOQUENCE
 GAINS BIG RESPONSE

blSnOp MurrdyS appeal CdIiiS .Ne the close of g. masterly address In which he depicted in sonlbre colors the dire distress in Ireland. Au- dressing the gathering as 'f|ehoW Workers he referred feehngly to his early impressions of Bridgeport gathered while a curate at St Marys 20 years ago. Some of the more striking passages of his address fol- low:
 'It is my inmost conviction that no cause supported by truth and justice will ever find a deaf ear among the American public. We aren't going to spend our time considering motives or the course of events which brought about the conditions today in Ireland; that little island only six times the size of Connecticut. We can under stand what a dreadful conflict mas been raging in Ireland for centuries only when we realize that it took 40O years for the invaders to get from the eastern coast to the western of that island of 32,00O square miles. That shows the spirit of the people ana gives proof that it is futile for any one to consider that it is possible for that race to be anything else but free and independent
 ''All men love liberty and the op- portunity for happiness. Those two magic words were written into our Declaration of Independenece- But more fundam ental than liberty and happiness is the right to life ftseF- We have gathered here tonight to eX- ert our efforts in behalf of those who are threatened with extinction You may say Is it possible that any na- ton today could be so indifferent 10 human life as to deliberately plan the extermination of another naton?' Let the facts answer.
 N-The first attack in Ireland was made on the creamerfeS. You know the part that milk plays in keeping children alive. You perhaps hkeW1Se know that when great distress ap- peared among the children Of Ireland there was provision made out or a government fund to keep these little children alive. You should HkeW1se know that in recent months that sourse of relief has been with dren in Ireland depend absolutely upon the bounty of people who have contributed out of their funds that they may have one meal day.
 'sThe official committee of inveSu- gation in Ireland reports g minimum of S5o,O00 a day is needed at this moment to protect the women and children from starvation This is heartrending.
 'sThe spirit that imbued the tens of thousands of American boys now sleeping 5000 miles away was tho desire to preserve the lives of little children and innocent mothers. The appeal that comes to us is from the women and children of Ireland, afraid to go to rest in their poor rude cab ins. driven out into the ditches and the fields, the pooor mother with her little ones clinging to her skirts.
 ''Only within the last 35 years have the Irish people beeen permitted to obtain ownership of land, and yet the, property loss alone among these A. 500 ,000 people is s200, 900. Thirty thousand need help in Belfast, 55,OOO in Dublin Over 100 homes have y.1r ., r,ai1i flor or md families driven to the fields. A thousand shops have been wrecked. Over 100 cities have been wrecked or burned. Fifty creameries, most of stroyed- Two hundred million dollars loss in Ireland is equivalent to loss here of four and a half billions.
 Their hearts touched by that con got together and subscribed from their own funds $300,00O to provide inn mediate relief. That was the be- ginning of the American Committee for Relief in Ireland. They took counsel with Herbert Hoover: who expressed sympathy with their cause and advised them to send committee of investigation to determine the ex- act needs. This committee compos- ed of American Quakers went over and became acquainted with the facts and advised a national appeal for SIG, 0,00, 900 for immediate relief Their reports come daily to national head quarters and when they say there is danger of national starvation unless relief comes/I believe them. It is for you to respond to the righteous appeal of a people who face extinction if you do not come to their aid.'' Thomas M. Cullinan was toastmas- ter in opening the meeting declared: ''The women an children of Ireland are in distress. Lives upon which they depended for support have been cut off and property which sustained them has been destroyed, but they cannot break the spirit of the Irish people, whose heritage is sacrifice" The first speaker was Mayor Cliff ford B. Wilson, said: 'I am glad Bridgeport is to participate in this
 cause, and feel that in the light of