Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site bonnie.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!jmm From: jmm@bonnie.UUCP (Joe Mcghee) Newsgroups: net.flame,net.politics,net.legal,net.nlang.celts Subject: U.S. Congress Voted for Complete Irish Independence Message-ID: <325@bonnie.UUCP> Date: Wed, 12-Dec-84 23:29:15 EST Article-I.D.: bonnie.325 Posted: Wed Dec 12 23:29:15 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 13-Dec-84 04:01:49 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Whippany NJ Lines: 72 Xref: watmath net.flame:7206 net.politics:6294 net.legal:1111 net.nlang.celts:174 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Upon America's entry into World War I, the war that was supposedly fought to secure the rights and freedoms of small nations, the U.S. Congress took the trouble to state clearly and openly what it thought the goals of that war should be. One of the intended goals of the United States is expressed eloquently, yet in practical terms in the following bill passed by Congress: *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** 65th Congress House Joint Resolution 88 1st Session ---------------------------------------------------------- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 14, 1917 Mr. Mason introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed. ----------------------------------------------------------- JOINT RESOLUTION To declare the liberation of Ireland one of the purposes of the present war. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that Ireland, a distinct and historic nation, anciently possessed of freedom, in the opinion of Congress and of the American people, of right ought to be free and independent; and be it further Resolved, that as the Irish nation has contributed a very numerous and valuable element to the American Nation, and as the United States is committed by American traditions and by recent utterances of the President to the principle of freedom for small nations, the LIBERATION OF IRELAND FROM ALL FOREIGN DOMINATION is hereby declared one of the objects for which the United States fights in this present war; and all money hereafter voted by Congress for the prosecution of this war, and ALL LOANS HEREAFTER AUTHORIZED TO BE MADE TO ANY NATION NOW AT WAR SHALL BE VOTED AND AUTHORIZED WITH THE CONDITION THAT THE LIBERATION OF IRELAND IS ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS WAR; and be it further Resolved, that THE LIBERATION OF IRELAND MEANS THE COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE ISLAND OF THAT NAME, TOGETHER WITH SUCH SMALL ISLANDS AS ARE NOW ADMINISTERED AS PART OF IT, FROM ALL INVOLUNTARY AND SUBORDINATE POLITICAL CONNECTION WITH ANY OTHER NATION AND THE COMPLETE FREEDOM OF THE ADULT INHABITANTS TO DECIDE BY FULL AND FAIR VOTE UPON THEIR FORM OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE COMPLETE FREEDOM OF SUCH GOVERNMENT, AS THEY MAY ERECT TO DETERMINE ITS RELATIONS WITH OTHER NATIONS AND TO EXERCISE ALL THE FUNCTIONS OF AN INDEPENDENT NATION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS DEFINITION, SHALL BE A PART OF THE PEACE TERMS SECURED BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH ANY AND ALL OF THE BELLIGERENT NATIONS, and be it further Resolved, That if the people of Ireland shall request the assistance and advice of the United States in the establishment of their future government, the President, the Vice-President, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint a commission of five American citizens to proceed to Ireland and render such assistance and advice up to, but not beyond, the time when the people of Ireland shall adopt a constitution but the United States shall not attempt to mold the course of the Irish nation and shall assume no responsibility for the new government to be erected in Ireland, and be it further Resolved, That upon the adoption of a constitution by the people of Ireland, if said constitution shall erect a republican government, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to purchase bonds of the Irish Government so established, provided such bonds bear interest at not less than three per centum, to the amount of $100,000,000. and to reimburse the Treasury by sale of United States bonds to an equal amount and bearing an even interest. clyde!bonnie!jmm J. M. McGhee