Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-25

On June y, 1919, l received a ruT
Their cable from the president, as FOL
lows:
Paris, June 9, 1919.
The American Committee of
1rishmen have made it exceed
ingly difficult, if not impossible,
to render the assistance we were
diligently trying to render in the
matter of bringing the Irish
aspirations to the attention of
the peace conference, By our
unofficial activity in the matter
we had practically cleared the
way for t., coming of the
Irish representatives to Paris
when the American commission
went to Ireland and behaved in
a way which so inf1amed British
opinion that the situation has
got quite out of hand and we
are utterly at a loss how to act
in the matter without involving
the government Of the United
States with the government of
Great Britain in way which
might create an actual breach
between the two. I made an eff
fort day before yesterday in this
matter which shows, I am
afraid, the utter futility OF fur
Their efforts. I am distressed
that the American commission
should have acted with such ex-
IRENE indiscretion and lack Of
sense, and can at the moment
see nothing further to do.
WOODROW WILSON.
To this cable I replied as follows:
The White House,
Washington, June 8, 1919.
Thanks for message about Ire
land. Hope you will not allow
indiscretions Of American COM
mission to influence your judg-
ment against Ireland. Lloyd
Georges mistakes in handling
this will be his undoing, for it
has in it the elements Of revolu-
ton. 1t is our own political
situation here and the fate of the
treaty itself that concerns me.
In this country the Irish are
united in this matter and in
every large city and town are
carrying on a propaganda, ask
ing that Ireland be given
the right of self-determination.
George Creel, in a powerful ar
ticle yesterday in the newspa-
pers, said: 1.-THE question Of
ireland cannot be ignored, either
in honor or decency." I trust
you can say word. Could you
not ask that Irish delegates be
given a chance to present their
case to the conference?
TUMULTY.
On June rs, 1919, I sent the 70
lowing cable to the president:
General Maurice, in wonder
full article in New York Times
on League of Nations, says about
Ireland: zone obvious need to
complete the process Of bringing
all nations together is that we
should show that we know what
America did in the war; but there
is another obvious need, which
presents greater difficulties. We
must have a policy in regard
to Ireland which we can explain
to the American people. At pres
ent Ireland threatens to reopen
all the riffs which comradeship
in the war is closing"
The New York Evening Post
last night prints the following ed
torial:
"Self-government for the Irish
people, short of independence, is
right and a necessity, and it
Sc icfo fIof 0ooo t,onYn
a movement is under way for
the establishment of Ireland on
the basis which logic and history
have determined-a dominion on
an equal footing with the other
dominions under the British
crown"
Frankly, this represents the
opinion of the average man in
America, without regard to race
or religion. The arrival of de
Valera in America is going to
intensity the feeling, and the Re
publicans will take full ad-
vantage Of it. Now that the
League of Nations is on it's feet,
we should take the lead in this
matter. 1t would do more to-
ward bringing about a real COM
radeship between England and
America than anything that
could happen. I think that the
situation in Africa, India and
the seriousness of the situation
in Canada will inevitably force
England to consider these mat
ters. 1t is in anticipation of
this that I am anxious to have
you play a leading part in this
situation. 1t would do much to
make the League Of Nations a
living vital force in the affairs
of the world. There are no
boundary lines between free peo-
pie any more. TUMULTY.
The president replied to my cabl
Is follows:
Paris, June q, 1919.