The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-31

cording to the Belfast Telegraph, which said in a recent issue:
 Many journalists. mostly foreign CTS, have tried to get personal in terviews with the irregular leader, but the request has been invariably refused.
 The interview is especially sig nificant at this time because 1t was obtained just before MT. DeValera was captured, and because it bears on yesterdays Irish elections.
 By DIR. EDGAR DEWITT JONES Correspondent of The Age-HeraId
 and of the North American News
 NEW YORK, August 3o.- Wearing a heavy beard. which materially altered his appearance. Ramon DeValera, Irish republican chief. lived quietly for sometime be- fore his capture in a substantial home in the heart of Dublin while Free State forces were making eV cry effort to find him. Contrary to popular belief in America, his op- ponents ardently desired his capture. They are baffled repeatedly, accord partment by ''the infinite precau tions" taken by DeYalera and his friends.
 But, while the elusiveness of the Irish pimpernel delayed his capture, he could always be reached with case through republican associates, armed with credentials from many of his friends. 1 had no difficulty in communicating with him, but ] was asked to transmit questions through his agents and receive his answers in the form of an authorized in- terview. This was method he had followed for months without deviation. l persisted in my request for personal interview and prom ised l would include in my story any message he wished to send America. He consented after l sent him by trusted messenger letter of introduction from a distinguished Irish-American. It was arranged that l should see him at midnight on Tues. day, August T. Precautionary restric- tions and inhibitions were placed upon me, but these have been auto matically removed by his arrest while speaking at Ennis on August 15, leaving me free to tell all that l saw l was told to go to the suburbs of Kingston, six miles from Dublin. If Free State agents followed my move ments their work was not apparent Escorted By Women.
 reached the appointed place without difficulty and met there two republican women who told me to be prepared to spend the night away from my hotel They took me on a short walk to place where they said taXicab would be waiting. The car appeared after we waited 15 min utes One of the women walked away The other entered the cab with me.
 We rode for an hour apparently taking circuitOus course back to Dublin. At signal fromy compa h. ion the car stopped. We left it and walked many blocks, crossing and recrossing streets and doubling on our course. until We came to the house, one of substantial looking residences of the terrace type.
 We met DeValera in d room on the second floor. l noticed at once his heavy brown beard, which was three or four inches long and made him look like a Frenchman. When ] made reference to the beard, he dismissed it with the remark that 1t was merely incidental and probably would be missing when l next saw him. It was missing when he was captured at Ennis. He had me served with milk and cakes while we chatted. Dressed in a brown busi- ness suit. soft, cream colored shirt and brown cravat. he appeared older
 
 ;sous. conciliatory in speech, stub born in his opinions, spirited even fin Uclipse. but not embittered He explained he looked upon Irish af- fairs with a sense of detachment sep arating personalities from principles. IreIand's Diffic1Itie.
 "Three things are fundamental in the solution of Ireland's difficulties" he said. He summed them up as fol- lows;
 The independence of Ireland and the integrity of it's territory cannot be surrendered All governmental authority in Ireland's legislative, executive and judiciary is derived ex- clusively from the people of Ireland. All questions of national policy must be decided by the free vote of all the people of Ireland" Regarding the question of free vote" he was more specific. In a formal statement pre- pared from the free state govern ment, he said, had never represented the will of Irish people because there had never been full and fair plebiscite. The military strength of the free state forces and their con trol of the press had enabled them to misrepresent the situatNn and paint the rSssublicans as rebels.
 "The pending elections as a test of
 
 and unfair" he continued.
 Not one half of the republican strength is likely to be boiled or eff fective. The republican political or ganization has been broken up. There are from ten to fifteen thousand re- publtcanS, men and women, in jail, and these Include some of the peoples elected representatives. All election arrangements are in the hands of our opponents.
 The circumstances and conditions of the elections are in fact. such that we would not contest them at all were 1t not that if we decided to ignore them our decision would be used to sustain the pretext that re- publicans were an Insignificant mi- nority in the country. This, despite everything, we shall, I hope, prove to be Q falsehood We know that an overwhelming majority of the people of this country desire independence and the maintenance of the repub- lIc."
 He was taciturn regarding his own position: They may get me-" he said. They may take my life"
 When left him with my feminine escort, a woman high in the rank of republicans. she took me to a taxi cab, bade me goodby and directed the driver to drop me at Dawson street. We were there after ten minute ride through the heart of Dublin and walked two blocks to