The Hope of the Future

The Connacht Tribune, March 8, 1919.

Since the events summarized above, much has occurred of the deepest interest. These occurrences indicate that it would be idle to deny that the chances of Ireland securing anything from the Peace Conference are at the moment dwindling. Common honesty demands that the Irish people should be made aware of this fact. Indeed, a leading Sinn Fein writer in one of last week's publications clearly stated his conviction that nothing, would come from the Peace Conference or from President Wilson, and that the fight for Irish freedom would in the end have to take place in Ireland. The American House of Representatives at the close of the Session reaffirmed its decision of February 9 in favour of self—determination for Ireland, the motion passing by 216 votes against 41. But on Tuesday evening President Wilson received the delegation appointed by the Irish race Convention. Before the interview opened, an unfortunate incident occurred. Mr. de Valera had telegraphed to Judge Daniel F. Colahan asking him to place the Irish case before the President. The judge is reputed to have telegraphed to the notorious Bernstorff advising aerial attacks on England and a diversion by the German Fleet simultaneously with a revolution in Ireland. He appears at any rate to be regarded as an extremist and does not represent the moderate American opinion led by such minds as Cardinal Gibbons. Whether this is the cause of the snub direct we do not know, but at any rate the incident contains a serious lesson.

When Judge Colahan had retired, the interview was proceeded with; and Dr. Wilson in reply to the delegation refused to express an opinion, but added, according to one of the reports, that "he was in complete accord with the aspirations voiced" by Mr. Justice Goff, and "had been for a long time, but no matter what his personal feelings were he could not, as the head of a nation, give the reply asked for. The situation in regard to Ireland was delicate and complicated. He must be allowed to meet the situation by methods which seemed best to him, and must not use a method which might injure the cause.

There is a plain implication here that, in the opinion of President Wilson — and we may suppose he knows something about international affairs by this time — others are using methods calculated to injure our cause. But there is also a thin ray of hope in what Dr. Wilson says, and if the Irish case is handled with tact and diplomacy, we may yet be put in a fair way of securing the rights denied us for seven hundred years. But it is high time that all delusions were shed, amongst them the delusion that the Allies can be divided amongst themselves, or that they will tolerate even the suspicion of pro—Germanism in what they still regard, despite all assertions to the contrary , as their own household. We must face the issue as we find it, not as we would wish it to be in the most perfect of all worlds.