The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-05-20
LA FOLLETTE'S
IRISH SPEECH
Wisconsin Senator's Stirring
Plea for Irish independence.

Wisconsin Senator's Stirring
Plea for Irish independence.
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin
in most notable appeal for recog-
milton of the Irish Republic by the
Government of the United States
turned his fire upon Lloyd Georges
claim that the British government
has the same need to hold Ireland
within the United Kingdom, that
the North had to hold the South
within the American Union. This
claim he knocked to pieces and pull
verified.
"If Ireland is today attempting
secession, if Britain is fighting for
the great principle on which the
Union was preserved if Lloyd
Georges policy is Lincoln's policy,
then the political relationship be-
tween Ireland and Great Britain
must be comparable in the main to
the relationship which existed prior
to the Civil War, and has ever since
North and of the South"
at will be conceded that the legal
basis upon which rested the policy
of the North in preserving the Union
was the constitution of the United
States. 1t will be conceded that the
document upon which Great Britain
must now rely for her policy in Ire
land is the Act of Union, of 1900"
William Ewart Gladstone, four
times premier of Britain, and leader
of the great liberal masses of Eng
land, who were then, as now, OPP
posing the British imperial policy
in Ireland, said at Liverpool in
1886: There is no fouler or blacker
transaction in the history of man
than the making of the union be-
tween Great Britain and Ireland"
"Seven hundred and seven thous-
and Irish people petitioned against
the passage of the Act of Union
while but 5000 declared themselves
in favor of it."
Senator La Toilette quoted Lord
Grey as saying in 1900 that the
nous" against the Act of Union,
while Lord CORVALLIS, the lord lieu
tenant, wrote: 81 despise and hate
myself for engaging in such dirty
work"
Reviewing the methods by which
the Irish parliament was corrupted,
Daniel O'Connell said in 1913: 'Brib-
cry was unconcealed. The terms
of the purchase were quite familiar
in those days. The price of a
single vote was $4,000, in money,
or an office worth $4,000 a year if
the parties did not choose to take
ready money. Some get both for
their votes
Lloyd George himself called the
Act of Union the union of the Crap
ping hook and Lord Byron de-
scribed it as the union of the shark
with his prey
"For Lloyd George to compare the
Act of Union with the constitution
of the United tSates," declared La
Toilette, "is a gross perversion of
historical facts. For him to main
tain that Great Britain is maintain
ing the principle for which the SOL
diers of the North shed their blood
in the Civil War is a national af-
front. For him to assume the role
of Abraham Lincoln is a sacrilege."
With deep emphasis he read the
British war offices recruiting ap-
peals, which were circulated in Ire
land in 1917, quoting President Will
sons pledge of liberty for all ma
tionalities, and saying: will Ireland
fight for this freedom? America
will see her rights are secured"
For Great Britain to break that
pledge" he commented, sis to write
the last chapter of i-lfamy in her
policy toward Ireland"
Serves Notice of Test Vote
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin
called up his resolution to recognize
the Irish Republic" and served no.
tice that the present session twill
not close without test vote upon
the issue of recognition of Irish In
dependence.
Compared to Tories of '76
ireland is today a test of real
Americanism, those who today most
actively oppose recognition of the
Independence of Ireland in her strug-
gle for freedom from Great Britain
are of the same mind, the same
flesh, the same blood as the Tories
of 1776. Those who today favor
recognition Dy the OHlJeu SldIeS OF
Irish Independence stand upon the
great fundamental principles of hu-
man liberty which were written into
the Declaration of Independence.
81 believe that Ireland should be
free-as free and independent as
any nation on the globe. l believe
she should be as independent and
have as complete dominion over her
own destiny as England, France, or
the United States. and by the same
right-the inherent right of every
nation to government deriving its
just powers from the consent Of the
governed"
81 go further than that l be-
lieve that this country, without vio-
lating any of the usages of inter
national law, without giving any
other nation Just cause for i'll will,
should do everything within its