IRISH AMERICANS AND THE SINN FEIN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 142, 5 March 1918, Page 6

IRISH AMERICANS AND THE SINN FEIN

. -« . A MESSAGE TO IRELAND. The entry of America into the war is responsible for the hostile and determined attitude of Irish Americans generally towards the Sinn Fein group, in Ireland." Hitherto the latter was tolerantly regarded by them as a mere political factor indirectly contributing towards the success of Home Rule; now its foolish acts •of militarism, and its active hostility towards Mr. Redmond and to tho interests of the Allies, has completely estranged it from tho great majority of Irish Americans, who are ardent constitutionalists and unconditionally loyal to America. The National Guard of New York, who are mostly Irishmen, led by their popular commander, General O'Ryan, as well as the famous 69th Irish, Regiment, were amongst the first, to volunteer for the front. Since then nearly all other Irish associations throughout the United States have enthusiastically shown their practical sympathy towards the objects of the American military and naval' forces, with the result that an undue proportion of both forces now consists of Irishmen or their deseoud-

The recently .formed American-Irish constitutional liberty committee has rapidly spread throughout the country. It cousists of the prominent Irish social leaders of every State. It has undertaken to raise £50,000, or more if required, for the purposes of tho Irish Parliamentary party in the approaching general elections. Pome £20,000 has been subscribed, and £10,000, as a first instalment, was sent to Mr. John Redmond, the Irish leader, 1 accompanied by a lengthy address, the tenor of which is summarised in the following resolution, carried at a representative meeting of Irishmen at Portland, U.S.A.: —

"That in. common with our fellow citizens throughout the United States, tho friends of Irish constitutional liberty, this body of American citizens, Americans first, last and for ever, Americans without qualification; recognise in Mr. T. P. O'Connor, who for 40 years has been ono of Ireland's most gifted and brilliant leaders, the true spokesman of the responsible people of Ireland; that the. Irish constitutional movement is the only practical policy for Ireland at this time, seeking as it does the attainment of the widest possible measure of home rule for Ireland, and at the samo time pledging the loyalty of the Irish people to the cause of the Allies; that to embarrass England at this hour would be to embarrass a powerful ally of the United States in the fight for world freedom; that to embarrass any of the A'lies is to embarrass them all; and that the Irish Parliamentary party and the Constitutionalists of Ireland deserve the respect of America and its Allies for refusing to purchase the liberty of Ireland at the price of the liberty of the world."