OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH, ESTABLISIED 1874 Registered at the G.P.O., Perth for trap. mission by post as a newspaper.
'PHONE B 6950 450 Ha, Street, Perth.
Box A3 5, G.P.L. Perth
Irish Patriot and Hero Warmly Welcomed Mr. de Valera's Demand for a Mr. Eamon De Valera, Irish patriot and hero,'and political leader of the Irish people for 16 years, arrived at Guildford Airport on Friday night. He was met by a The Administrator, the Very Rev. Father Rafcrowd of priests and lay people. ferty, welcomed Mr. De Valera and Mr. F. Aitken. who accompanied him, on behalf of His Grace the Archbishop. After the plane toucho.d down and the other passengers had alighted, Mr. Do Their appearance was greeted by Valera and Mr. Aitken appeared in the doorway. applause and cheering. Soon Mr. De Valera was the centre of an eager crowd anxious Airs tc shake his hand. The party left the airport to the accompaniment of Irish played by the Clontarf Boys' Band. On Saturday morning Mr. De Valera and Mr. Aitken were taken on a tour of some of the beauty spots around Perth, including King's Park and Mundaring Weir. In the afternoon they went to the football match at Fremantle as the guests of the W.A. Football League. On Saturday night the visitors were the guests of the Celtic Club at a function arranged in their honour. They were welcomed by the President, Mr. P. R. Jackscn, by Mr. E. Needham, and Mr. F. Murphy. Mr. De Valera spoke to the members of the partition of Ireland. Highlight of Mr. De Valera's visit was a garden party in the grounds of thL Good Shepherd Convent on Sunday afternoon, where he was enthusiastically welcomed by over 5,000 people. When he entered the grounds, Mr. De Velera passed through a guard of honour formed by members of the Hibernian Society. He was met at the Convent door by His Grace the Archbishop and His Lordship Bishop Gummer, of Geraldton. The Clontarf Boys' Band played the Eire National Anthem, and the party then took thei; His Grace, Mr. Walter Dwyer. places on a platform erected in front of the chapel. and Mr. L. Harris, General President of the Hibernian Society, addressed a few words c welcome. Mr. De Valera then spc.ke to the great assembly. Although he spoke for arly an hour, he held the close attention of the crowd throughout. After his speech almost the whole of the people present filed past Mr. De Valera and shook his hand. A concert was 'given in his honour at the Good Shepherd Convent on Sunday night. On Monday he visited the Christian Brothers, St. George's Aquinas College. He left by air on Monday night for Adelaide. Mr. de Valera addressing the large crowd in of the Good Shepherd Convent. If we. in spite of persecutions and "DEMOCRACY" IN THE great difficulties, have been able NORTH to do a great deal in the world. what a great future must face a country like this. As an example of "de"Prom remarks I have seen in mocracy" at work in Northe papers it seems that we are thern Ireland, Mr. De Valera not popular with some people. I told the members of the don't know what they are afraid Celtic Club on Saturday of. If they have a good cause night that for years he was truth. they need not fear the the elected representative of What I say will be the truth. a northern constituency. 'In Ireland we have been Every time he went into his constituency he was arreststruggling for freedom for seven ed and given month's and a half centuries. We were a a gaol. free country for a thousand years before the Normans came. "We have heard a lot about have won our freedom in freedom for small nations. There 26"We counties. They are as free as is no sense in asking Ireland to country any in the world. But it campaign to free small nations was not for 26 counties that our until she is free herself. fought. It was for the "Many of you are here because people whole of Ireland. Until that freewhen of the famine in Ireland is secured, our work is not dom 1,000,000 of our people were swept away. Some are here because of finished. "Until we have secured the the evictions, others because they freedom of the whole of Ireland fought in the revolution. They we will fight with the same dewill know what the problems of termination as in the past. Ireland are. "We are seeking the support of our people And remember, did people throughout the world. merely suffer injustice at our want to right) not Valera. On the platform are aid not only We to get the home, but were persecuted abroad. people of Irish blood or deMr. de Valera and Mr. Walter Dwyer. It did not start in World War of but of and woscent, every 'Man 1. or World War H. It has been man who really believes in liberty. "We came to take part in the "I was privileged to meet many going on for centuries. Cheering and applause greeted "If there is a right for the to Centenary Celebrations of the Australians when we were in office "In the time of Queen ElizaMr. De Valera as he arose address the great assembly at the Melbourne Archdiocese and, being in Ireland. But that was not the beth, when Fss'x viewed terrible freedom of small nations, then no we wanted see in Australia, to one has a better right than Iresame as seeing the people in things that had been done in Good Shepherd Concert on Sunall of this great country. their own land and in their own Ireland, he said: 'It is good that land. day. "The thing to understand is "We in Ireland are very proud homes. We have the telling of these things "I want, in the first place," "We would indeed be blind if in our own hands and not others that Ireland was not partitioned said Mr. De Valera, "to thank of Australia. We regard our nayour tion as one of the mother na- we had not observed that you also.' by the people of Ireland. The diyou for the warmth of country "They have had the telling of vision was enacted by the British welcome. To go home without tions of this continent and we are have a great young those Parliament in 1920, despite the opit for a long time and having seen Perth would seem glad to see her going ahead faster which could grow to giant size. "Ireland is a little over a hun- who have heard their propaganda position of the Irish people. to me as if I had not seen Aus- and faster, taking her place among the nations of the world. dredth part of Australia in size. are likely to misunderstand. (Continued on Page 4) tralia at all.