The Irish standard., 1906-11-03

was forbidden by law TO take them
in time of war, beyond the sea, with
out their own consent. The rule was
not observed. Many of the Irish mill
tia did not know the law, and thought
they We're bound to go abroad if their
officers ordered them, and in the Boer
war advantage was taken of their ig-
norance. A number of regiments were
drafted abroad to help the English
army i'll Egypt and elsewhere. Thus,
the Irish militia were used, against the
law and without their consent. to give
aid in a war which the whole Irish
people condemned as unjust and dis
honorable. When they came to know
the law they refused to go on foreign
service, and no more of them were sent
out.
This bill is to make it law for the
first time that in time of war militia
regiments may be sent abroad for for
eign service without asking the con-
sent of the men. The Irish militia,
that the government will not trust in
their own country, are now to be forced
whenever another war arises. whether
just or unjust, whether with the friends
of Ireland or her enemies, to die fight
ing at the other end of the earth for
the power of England.
Their policy today is the same as
the purpose of the government long
ago, to weaken the Irish at home, to
tighten the hold of the English on the
country. and through the courage of
the Irish to win an empire for England
abroad.
1rishmen see every year strange
thing happen, which is unknown ex-
cept in Ireland. These are the Irish
militia regiments, which ought to be
trained in the countries where they are
raised, carried away to England for
their drill.
In time of war they see the same
regiments, which ought to serve for the
defense of their own land, taken away
to protect some English country, while
English militia are poured into Ireland
Lord ,Wolsley, when he was COM
nlander-in-chief, said the Irish militia
were removed for reasons which the
war Office dare not reveal. lrishmen
know very we'll what these reasons
are. They know that the militia are
l'trained in England because of English
distrust of Irishnen, and that the mon
may be taught that they are not to
fight for their own country or to pro-
tect it.. 1t is the glory of soldiers
to stand as the unconquerable defense
of the land where they were born, and
where their fathers graves lie; but the
Irish must learn to forget their own
homes and the relics of their fathers.
try, whatever mockery and contempt
is poured on their sufferings by Eng
lishmen, if the king takes oath that
their religion is plasphemy, if their
people fly in despair-begotten of pow
erty and want-across the seas, the
Irish militia must learn in England
that they have only one duty-to fight
for England and increase her empire
and her power to hold down Ireland.
The English commanders in chief
does not like to tell this, but all Irish
men know it. They learned the secret
over a hundred years ago, when every
lrishanan was. given a big sum of
money to leave his country for the
war with Napoleon, and as sure as the
militia. were thus safely taken away,
the English troops were shipped in to
take their place. For the English
troops could be trusted, when the de-
tenders of the Irish we're Withdrawn,
to complete the work Of destroying the
Irish parliament and Irish independ-
ence: and today English regiments are
marching through the country places
in Ireland trying to entrap our young
men into joining them.
Any man joining England's army,
navy or police force, takes his stand
in the camp Of the garrison, he is a
! traitor to his country, and an enemy
to. his people. Any man entering her
service betrays his own land, and goes
over to his enemies. Let England fight
her own battles-wc have done it long
enough.
Let her arm and drill the sickly pop
ulation of her slums; the men Of the
hills and the country places in Ireland
will go no more. Let her fight for the
extension of her empire herself, for
the men Of the Gael are not going tc
be bribed into betraying themselves
and their country again at the bidding
of England.
NIT TTTI1 NTXKIS