Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-21
VALERA FAVORS
|L|T IN Sim FE|N
III Armies Better Than One
Divided in Itself, He Tells
Ard Fheis
MAKES PLEA FOR REPUBLIC
By the Associated Pres

|&S 9rentIy regarding spit OF I'd" S!Hi'
party as inevitable, openly advo-
y S'1Qted such division in addressing the
.5At1 Fheis, the National Sim Fein
tfbnvention, at ifs extraordinary ses-
SION. today. He declared it would be
\ better for ireland TO have two armies,
each ready to assist the other II the
country were imperiled, rather than one
army divided in itself.
Mr.. de Valera's speech was the out
standing feature Of the morning ses-
sion. Speaking to his resolution urg-
Y ing the Sim Fein party to continue
St the fight for n republic, Mr.. de Valera
I won hearty applause at numerous points
he made in his address.
y 81 would rather see the country
flooded with British troops than give
them the irrevocable right TO be here, "
was one Of his assertions. made in a
dramatic manner, which resulted in loud
cheers.
"Colors Nailed to Mast"
s'1reland," he declared later on. ''is
entitled to the dignity of mother
country, and l will never consent to
make her the ilegitimate daughter OF
England.
was made President of this organiza ,
tion, when / said our coiors are nailed
to the mast What I said meant.
Mr.. De Valera appealed for harmony
between the divisions if break
should occur, saying he and Arthur
Griffith always had been colleagues and
would continue SO. Most of the morn
ing session was taken up with max
ing arrangements for n vote. which
prObably will be taken on Mr.. DE
valera's motion about o'clock this
evening, although it was agr ed thi!
morning that il the Ard Fheis desired
to defer the vote and continue debate II
could do so. The hall was crowded,
and many delegates were forced to
stand. finding great difficulty in hearing
the speakers.
The agenda set forth ms the declared
purpose of the Ard Fheis ITO interpret
authoritatively and dcCisivcly the con-
stitution of the organization with spe-
cial reference 70 the situation created
by the articles Of agreement for trent y
between Great Britain and Ireland.
signed at London December q. l02l ,
and its approval by the Dali Eircann
BY sixty four votes to fifty seven, 80 as
to decide the policy of the organization
in view Of the possible forthcoming elec'
tions.''
When Mr.. Gr4ffith rose at the be-
ginning of the afternoon session to move
his amendment to Mr.. de Nalcra's resO :
luton he received an ovation. Mr..
Grifith's amendments affirmed that the
peace treaty was fully justified by the
Sinn Fein constitution. He said he
stood by the treaty because he firmly
believed 1t was in the best interests Of
Ireland. He then launched into a Wig
Orous defense of the agreement.
Mr.. Griffith said he was determined
that the people should decide the qucs-
tion of accepting or rejecting the
treaty. Their verdict would be sufficient
Z for him. and he would not attempt then
10 obstruct others working for Other
2 aims. In the same way he would cX-
= pect. If the Free State supporters won.
. that there would be no obstruction to ii
from its opponents.
The "round room of the Mansion
House, an enormous hall with bal
cony, equipped TO seat 5000 persons,
filed slowly. OF the women's contin-
gent, Miss Mary MacSwiney and Mrs.
Kate O'Callaghan were among the first
arrivals. taking seats well in front. The
women delegates were mostly from the
cities and towns. They We're reported
to be fairly equally divided for and
against the treaty.
Contest On Vote Develops
After the delegates, who crowded the
confines of the meeting room, had been
seated contest developed over the
que stion Of the method of taking a vote
on the resolutions setting forth the at
titude of the convention.
Austen Stack. Minister Of Home Af
fairs in the De Valera cabinet. op-
posed a secret ballot. saying he saw nc
reason why the delegates should not
publicly declare their sentiments.
On u showing Of hands. Eamon dc
Valera. who presided. declared those ir
favor Of open voting mad won thcil
point
Michael Collins, head Of the Provi-
sional government, assented to this de
cision, thus checking objections to the
speakers ruling.
1t was finally decided to retain rho
ballot form Of voting. but 70 make III,
vote public. The delegates. it was
agreed. should write their names on tn,
back Of the ballot card.
Cl0ture Motion Carried
A motion TO apply cloturc and tC
vote at p. NJ. instead Of at =. NJ.
as had been proposed, was carried.
Michael Collins came forward TO thu
platform at this juncture. lie received
the greatest demonstration for the con
vention up 20 this point. He said h,
favored free and full discussion Of thu
important questions before the conycn
ton.
a circular prepared by the adhcrcn's
Of Michael Collins wus widely dis.
tributed among the throns that gA'h
cred outside the Mansion House. j
contained an appeal to the Sim Fri
party not to repudiute the Sim Fcin
creation, the Dali Eireann. II also ga vt
\ summary of the motion TO be sub
mitted to the convention hv ArtGuI
Griffith. president of the Dali, scttin.
forth that the Sim Frn constitution
asks the delegates to Isc every means Il
render impOtent the power OF Englanc
to hold Ireland. and declaring thar The
treaty will be- the best means aYuilabl,
and urging the delegates to vote for it
Belfast. Feb. 2l.-(By 4. PD-
While most of the UnionStS captured IL
recent raids in Northern ireland have
4 been released, the lister Home OhicC
< unnounced today that twenty six Of tn,
N Kidnapped men had not yet been re.
turned.
OF these men apparently still hold in
custody fourteen are class a. specia
constables and eleven class "B" spc,
cials. The other missing man is Ivar
4 Carson, former High Sheriff of Fer.
4 managh, who was kidnapped at Clndy
February \. His wife received q lctte,
" from him the next day stating he wa.
well but not revealing the place of hi,