The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-06-09
Wandering Circus Recruiting in
the North Of Ireland.
SYMPATHY FOR AFRICAN REPUBLICS
Military Fame Of Colonel Mahon
the Hero Of Mafeking.

The following particulars anent the
'rish guards are given by "Owen Roe"
n his correspondence from Dublin to
he Chicago Sunday Chronicle:
"a regiment without parallel in his
ory," is what London paper calls the
irish Guards, which is to be created by
'xpress design of the queen in recogni-
Ion of the valor OF the Irish troops in
South Africa. The requirements for en-
istment in the corps, as given i'll the
poster issued by authority of her maj
esty. are given as follows:
"The age and standard of recruits are
as for other regiments of foot guards,
viz: Age, 18 to IS years; minimum
height, S feet 7 inches for men under 20
years of age; S feet 8 inches for men 20
years of age and over"
AS further enticement to trap re-
cruits the royal poster says that "a
guards employment society has been.
established for the purpose Of assisting
soldiers Of the guards in obtaining
work in civil life on their transfer to
the reserve or OH discharge"
The letter press of the poster is green
with shamrocks on each corner and
jingo paper tells us that "the wording
of the proclamation is significantly
complimentary to the Hbernian heroes
at the 'front.'" because it declares that
her majesty has deemed it desirable "to
commemorate the bravery shown by the
Irish regiments in the recent operations
in South Africa" No doubt it is and
| always has been desirable for England
to have Irish troops in her service, but
what will the English and Scotch troops
think of this frequent laudation of Pad
dy while they go unmentioned?
1t looks by inference as if their cour-
age were an unknown quality. Well, as
her majesty never has given Ireland
anything that cost her a penny-noth-
ing but coercion and martial acts and
starvation-she probably thinks words
OF praise are due them.
"But," says the London Express,
what is more important, the resplen-
dent uniform will have bright green fac
ings, and condition of enrolment, to
be vigorously enforced, is that the Off
GERS and men must be true-born Irish
men. By reason of this regulation the
Irish Guards will be the only purely ma
tional regiment of the army. Even the
brogue, acquired from residence in Ire
land, won't suffi : as a passport unless
the recruit presents proof of Irish pa
rentage."
Her majesty is taking good precau-
ton that no coward shall be found in
the ranks of at least one of her regi-
1nents. However it may be about the
rank and file as to the enforcement of
the rule that the men must be Irish-born
before they can don the green facings,
it seems that the rule is disregardcd
when the matter of rank and cmolu-
ments is under consideration, for the
Express says:
Surely some of the officers already
appointed cannot claim Irish patronage.
In any case it is felt keenly that no
officer serving in the Irish regiments
has been gazetted to the guards. It
would crafty ireland tremendously to
know that this honor was paid to Off
GERS who have distinguished themselves
at the front. But the mysteries of the
war office patronage are inscrutable."
But nlaybe-not probably-the guards
with green facings may have to fall
back on even recruits that are not Irish
born. Throughout all this island where
soldiers heretofore have been found
there appears to be an intense feeling
of hostility over the attempted destruc-
ton of the little South African repub-
lies There is just now a circus wan
dering throughout this country appeal
ing by cinematograph views and other
means to jingoism in country towns and
villages.
It recently announced that it was
about to visit Edenderry and over its
placards the following placard was
pasted:
"The Irish slaves in the English army
are traitors to ireland. The recruiting
queen is gone; the recruiting circus
comes. The circus is coming to Eden
derry to display the valor of the Irish