THE IRISH MENACE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 261, 20 October 1916, Page 5

THE IRISH MENACE.

REDMOND BLAMES COALITION GOVVERNMENT. INSISTENCE FOR HOME RULE. [reuter’B telegrams 1 IXndon, Oct. 19. Mr. John Redmond, in moving “that the present system of Government in Ireland was inconsistent with the principle for which the Allies were fighting, and was raainly responsible for the rebellion,” said that undeniably the situation in Ireland was full of menace and danger. From the day the Coalition Government was formed recruiting in Ireland had declined rapliiy. Sir Edward Carson’s inchis.cn jn the Cabinet had persuaded thousands of Irishmen that they would be betrayed. At the outbreak of war Ireland was on the side of the Allies. __ There was a genuine enthusiasm for the Allies’ cause. With a little sympathy on the Govern-:

ment’s part it would have been possible to create practically a united country. Instead all the Nationalists’ efforts had been thwarted. They were ignored and snubbed. The final blow was the creation of the Coalition. The revolutionary Sinn Fein army rapidly . increased, and distrust and suspicion spread throughout the country. If the rising in Ireland had been dealt with in the same manner that Botha dealt with the rising in South Africa, the whole situation would have been saved. Instead the Government behaved with panicky violence. Ireland should have been trusted and given her freedom. It was even possible to trust Ireland now. He asked if the Government seriously proposed to maintain the present system of perpetual martial law. Mr Redmond urged the withdrawal of martial law, the release of prisoners and putting the Home Rule Act in operation. THE RECRUITING FAILURE Mr. Redmond went on to deal with the recruiting problem. Conscription in Ireland would be an aggravation of the situation and not a remedy. Throughout the efforts of the Nationalists had been thwarted and ignored and their suggestions derided. They had asked for

the creation of an Irish Army Corps but everything caluclated to arouse national pride and enthusiasm in connection with the war had been vigorously suppressed. Nothing did more harm than the suppression of all official mention of the Dublin and Munster Fusiliers landing, at Gallipoli. When the 16th Division went from there, there was not a Catholic officer in the battalion except two or three subalterns. Further, he complained that recovered or wounded Irishmen were re-draft-ed into English battalions. It was a mockery to complain that the Irish division was not kept at its full strength. The gallantrj’ of the Irish troops had won for Ireland a new place in the Councils of the Empire. It was to the interest of the Empire to enable her to maintain that place by removing once and for all the fog of bad faith and bad management. THE THINGS DEMANDED.

While the present Government existed, he said, irritated national feeling would remain. Ireland saw England fighting for the rights of a small nation, yet maintaining a Unionist Government in Ireland against the will of the people by means of martial law. Mr. Redmond concluded by demanding that a new Commander-in-Chief should be appointed in Ireland, that the Defence of the Realm Act should be administered with machinery similar to that in England, and that convicted rebels should be treated as political prisoners. Above all, the Government should take its courage in both hands, and put Home Rule into operation.

STATEMENT BY CHIEF SECRETARY. FAILURE DUE TO FACTIONS. (Received 20, 9.35 a.m.) London, Oct. 19. The Rt. Hon. H. E. Duke, Chief Secretary of Ireland, replying to Mr. John Redmond, said it would be impossible to repeal martial law until the ringleaders of the rebels were convinced of the wickedness and hopelessness of their proposals. 1 The British Parliament was not re- ! sponsible for the failure of the last ; effort to secure Home Rule. The ; failure of settlement in July was ■ due to the fact that Irishmen were I unable to agree. In the meanwhile i the Government must secure the protection of all law-abiding citizens. PREMIER STATES THE POSITION. Mr. Asquith repudiated the allegation that Dublin Castle was being run by the Unionist administration. He paid tribute to Mr. Redmond’s work in connection with recruiting, and said, “No man in the Empire rendered more constant, more loyal and more effective service.” We must, he added, remember that the Government is dealing with a transitory situation, and martial law, in the commonly accepted sense of the term, is not being applied. Everything is being done under the powers conferred by the Defence of the Realm Act, but in view of the possible recrudescence of disorders it is impossible to dispense with safeguards.’_ Mr. Asquith’ admitted that some stupidity was repeated in Ireland. At the beginning of the war many things were done which offended the National susceptibilities. POOR RECRUITING.

Referring to recruiting in Ireland, Mr. Asquith said that 150,000 recruits had come forward in Ireland since the beginning of the war, making 157,000 volunteering to enlist. This, he said, was only 2j per cent, of the population and this was a low percentage compared with the rest of the United Kingdom and the contributions from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. The rebel prisoners would be released the moment it was safe to do so. CAST ASIDE SUSPICION. Mr. Asquith urged the necessity for dispersing the present suspicions and obtaining an agreed upon settlement. Every sane political man in Britain would welcome such an agreement with joy. REDMOND’S MOTION REJECTED. Mr. Redmond’s motion was rejected by 303 to 106. PAN-GERMANISM. GREAT EXPECTATIONS. I “ T«F TIMES ”1 (Received 12, 12.45 p.m.) London, Oct. 19. The pan-German Association at Hamburg, demands peace on the terms of annexation of Belgium and Poland, indemnities from France, Italy and Rumania and restoration of German colonies.