The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-03-10
MINNEAPOLIS, MIMI, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1000.

the Dundalk and other traitorous ed
itors, but it doesn't The fact prob
ably is that they remember the dictum
of Burke, that you cannot indict a
whole nation, and that's what her ma
jesty's law officers would practically
have to do if they attempted to sup
press and punish such sentiments as
are commented on by the Globe. There
is nothing more certain than that the
Irish people are intensely and irrcvoc-
ably opposed to the war, and are using
every means to prevent and discourage
enlistments. That their efforts have
not been in vain has been proven in
many ways and particularly by the cx-
traordinary scenes which took place
when the North Cork militia "volun-
tcers" were shipped for the Cape. In
connection with the English militia in
our midst the following humorous III
cident is told in one OF the papers A
rather good-loolling militiaman en-
tered street car and, without any ap-
parent provocation and in strong
cockncy accent, suddenly shouted out,
I'm stranger here" No one re-
sponded, as he appeared to be under
the influence OF liquor, and so he re-
pcated the remark three times. Then
he proceeded: There's lot OF talk
abo1t the hardsllips OF the men at the
front, but they've not half the hard
ships that we've had to put up with
since we came t. Dublin. The men at
the front get we'll fed, and they've gen
orally something to sleep on, but, by
the -, since we came to Dublin we're
half-starved and we're sleeping on
nothing but - planks." So it would
appear that even English militiamen
are not as loyal and exuberant as some
would have us believe.
1t is remark that is threadbare and
almost meaningless by iteration
through the years, that of O'Connell
that "England's difficulty is 1reland's
opportunity" and yet the imperial sit
uation every now and then, and espe-
cially now, makes the phrase live and
hopeful one to the mind OF the rebel
and aggressive Celt. Oh, what an op-
portunity there would be now for this
resurging land-this Niobe Of nations
If only the past ten years OF dissen-
sion had been spent in preparation, if
only the "sea-divided Gael" had rlassed
its resources for the chancef:f9ts1o tsr!
But "tis in vain to complain in mel
ancholy strain of the days that are gone
| and will never come again" 1t is not
yet too late. The fact stands out that
Ireland at this moment is practically
dcfenseless and will become more and
more so if the struggle in South AT
rica long continues. With only some
raw recruits and a few regiments Of
infantry and cavalry to keep in safe re-
pair and condition the golden links Of
the CROWN" it is no wonder that can
Irish Barrister" suggests in the Times
that, though there are no volunteers in
Ireland, there are many members OF
the Irish bar who would willingly form
a corps such, as that including English
law students and which is known as
'The Devils Own" In the present
emergency, he thinks, "should the att
thorities see their way to SO doing,
there would be o-diG diff Guilty Guilty obtain
ing the necessary number OF men, and
those who had been formerly in the
corps would gladly rejoin. Among the
barristers in Dublin there are, doubt
less, several who have served in the
militia as officers who could in the first
instance officer the suggested company
and any drill sergeant from tlle Dublin
garrison could give the necessary in
struction in drill, as, OF course, the
members of the company could not go
over to the London headquarters to be
drilled" The formation OF such COM
pany, this militant barrister thinks,
would be highly popular as recogni-
ton of the gallant conduct of the Irish
troops in the present campaign. There
was about 100 years ago tiourishing
! barristers' volunteer corps in Dublin
and he asks why it should not just now
be revived. A proposition like this is
very suggestive of the fears OF the 10y
alists, and its serious aspect is not de-
tractcd from by the sarcastic and hu-
morous comment of one OF our papers
that the enrolment of company Of
'The Devils Own" in the iour courts,
the law library and from the Irish
| bench should not be a very difficult
task
Another curious thing about this vol
unteering business in Ireland is the no.
ticeable apathy of the Ulster loyalists,
and, for that matter, of the Orangemen
in all the four provinces of Ireland.
Colonel Saunderson, M. P, who, dur
ing the recent debate on John Red
mond's amendment to the address IN
favor Of the Bocr republics, cast an as
| persion on the courage Of the Irish SOL
| dier, takes care that he docs not risk
his precious hide in front OF Boer
trench. 1t is the same with the YER
bally valiant and loyal Johnson OF
Bally Kilbcg, M. P The gallant colo
mel has since apologized, for his own
parliamentary friends saw the damage
r