"WE STAND BY WILSON."

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 57, 23 February 1918, Page 17

"WE STAND BY WILSON."

IRISH AMERICANS' MESSAGE.

An Influential body of Irish-Americans at Chicago have Inaugurated the -'AmericanIrish Constitutional Liberty Committee" to support Mr Redmond aud his policy. An

initial fund of £10.000 has been raised in response to the plea of Mr T. P. O'Connor. In sending this amount to Mr Redmond the Committee pledge itself to raise the fund to nny amount you may consider necessary for the successful prosecution or your long .iiul glorious struggle for selfgovernment in Ireland."

The address to him is isays the Washington correspondent of tho "Dally Mail") an appeal to Ireland not to forfeit American Influence and sympathy by assailing the Allies or giving aid and comfort to the enemies of America.

"ln sending you these funds we desire to vindicate two principles:—(l) Your party 'seems to have the only practical policy for Ireland at this hour in seeking at once an attainable measure of Irish liberty; (2) yonr policy offers the support of the Irish people to the Allies' cau«e. We desire to express not only approval of your policy of supporting the Allies, but also the gratitude of all the people of this, country for your courage and consistency.

"We speak of gratitude because the intervention of our country on the side of the Allies compels us to look ou every nation with affection or tbo opposite ns its action is favourable or unfavourable, helpful or hostile, to the cause of the Allies.

"We are compelled; therefore, to regard any Irishman who at this moment tries to embarrass tlie conduct of the war by England, France. Italy, or any other European iPower as trying to embarrass America. With any policy of such a tendency we must tell our Irish brethren nt home that they cannot look to America or Irish-America for

sympathy. On the contrary, we regard such a policy as an act of open hostility to America anil to ns as Americans. The American Government of tlie American people have gone into this war not only convinced of Its Justice, but also with hourly increasing efficiency and unity, determined to carry i; lo a successful end.

i "There is not a single honest, genuine Irish-American who does not stand behind the President and tlic American Government and people in this policy -not onei Neither England nor Ireland nor nny il'ower on earth can turn one honest genuine IrLshAmerican into a traitor to the Americuu flag—not one!"