SINN FEIN CONGRESS

Gisborne Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6319, 23 February 1922, Page 5

SINN FEIN CONGRESS

OPEN VOTE ON TREATY,

DE VALERA APPEALS FOR REPUBLIC

(United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, February 21. About 3000 attended the Sinn Fein Congress, known as Ardfheis.

Mr De Valera presided and invited the meeting to decide whether a vote on the treaty is to be taken openly or by ballot. An amendment was adopted in favor of open voting. Mr Collins remarked: There eani be no doubt about that vote.

Mr De Valera, submitting a motion or which he had given notice, said that the necessity, for the interpretation of the constitution arose over the signing of the treaty, to ascertain whether it is according to the constitution, which was formed for securing international recognition of the Republic. Mr De Valera implored the Congress, if it could net resist the British rule, to adopt actively passive resistance.—A. and N.Z. C.A.

(De Valera, as president of Sinn. Fein, gave notice of motion in tlie Sinn Fein Congress that the aim of Sinn Fein will be, as before ,to secure international recognition of Ireland as an independent republic, and that Sinn Fein put forward, at the forthcoming election, candidates pledged not to take the oath of fidelity to the British King and not to own.' allegiance to him.)

DE VALERA’S IMPASSIONED

ADDRESS,

“WE HAVE NEVER ACCEPTED BRITISH RULE.”

PASSIVE RESISTANCE URGED

(Received Feb. 22, 9.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 22. At the Sinn Fein Congress, De Valera declared: “I have faith in the Irish nation and know that whatever is done here to-day Ireland will be free. The spirit which brought us four on our way is not going to he quenched by a single vote. If we decide on great principles, who is going to blame us? We are all brothers here. Mr Griffith and I were colleagues, and no power in England is going to divide us. As a nation we have never accepted British rule and I ask you in God’s name not to give tlie British monarch a democratic title in Ireland.”

De Valera said an alternative existed to war. He would rather see Ireland flooded with British troops, and Ireland without a single gun than that the conference should commit the irrevocable act of giving tlie British troops the right to be there. If they could not resist actively they could resist passively. Ireland was their mother and they should not occupy the position of an illegitimate daughter. He would rather be a Unionist than take tlie status of the Free State.

Mr Griffith submitted an amendment re-affirming the Congress’s allegiance to the Dail Eireann and supporting tlie Dail Eireann’s approval of the treaty. He said that when lie went to London with De Valera and the Cabinet they knew they could not bring back a republic. There was likely to he a split in Sinn Fein lasting some years, though his party was willing to shake hands with the De Valeraites if they got a fair chance. Tlie" Congress adjourned till tomorrow.

Hopes are entertained that an agreement between the parties will he.reached.

The Irish Republicans released seventeen more hostages.—A. and N.Z.C.A.

CLONES KIDNAPPING RAID

HOUSE OF LORDS ORDERS INQUIRY. (Received Feb. 22. 9.5 p.m.) . LONDON, Feb. 21. The Lord Chancellor in the Lords moved the appointment of a tribunal to enquire into the Clones kidnapping raid in Ulster, declaring that the" conditions in Ireland were now ten times worse than prior to when the so-called peace was signed. Lord Buckmaster disapproved the enquiry and said he thought Ireland’s only hope lay in strengthening the hands of the Free State Government.

Lord Midleton urged the withdrawal of the motion in the interests of peace. c Lord Birkenhead said that both the Northern and the Free State Governments demanded the enquiry and he must proceed with the motion. The amendment was negatived without division. Lord Birkenhead’s motion was carried by 41 votes to 40.-—A. and N.Z.C.A .

NORTHERN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL PROTEST.

WILL NOT RECOGNISE I.R.A

(Received Feb. 22, 5.15 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 21. The Northern Government telegraphed Mr. Churchill stating they could not recognise the Irish Republican Army and desired it to be understood tliey cannot submit to any further outside interference in the administration of justice in Northern Ireland at the instigation of persons hostile to the existence of Their Government. This is a reference to the Viceroy’s action relative to the Derry prisoners.—A. and N.Z.C.A.