The Irish standard., 1906-11-03
Militia Regiments May be Sent Abroad
For Service Without Asking
Consent of Men. n.
To Weaken the Irish at Homej
the Hold Of the English
Country, the Policy.
and Tighten
on the


-
trouble and violence that the wretched
levies had been forced across the Irish
sea. Maddened and despairing war
riors they stood, sacked and burning
farms and ruined country, behind
them, an imperial army sent, out in
the pride of England to the staying of
Scotslnen and the pillage of France.
Year after year from that time, Irish
peasants were violently torn from their
homes to swell the glories of the Eng
lish army, and the state papers give
the reasons. o.
The king for his part, sent orders
over to Ireland that those lrishnen
who most bravely defended their homes
from the invaders Cor as Henry said,
"the most wild and savage of the
Irish') should be sent to the killing
in Scotland; their absence, he said,
would rather do good than hurt"
The Irish lord deputies or governors,
on their side.s who ware constructing
remorseless war, to drive the Irish out
of their lands and plant English set
tiers in their farms, advised that, as
many Irish as possible should be draft.
ed away as soldiers to the foreign
wars, so that there should be fewer
at home to resist fhe selling of their
farms, and that If There was any fght-
ing the English troRps would be safely
rid CT SO many.
Later, the English planters on the
ancient lands of thd Irish also wanted
to ship the native owners across tho
sea- to die in the wars; and begged
that even the tribes men, who humb1y
submitted to the kin g in hope of win
ming back their fields, Should have
entertainment at Bdlogne or Calais"
so as never to enter again on their
own soil, "but be banished forever
from their inheritances," :" and leave
them to English adventurers,
All were united in onG purpose4to
keep Irishnen away froga, the possess
sion and the protectiong:oof their own
homes, and make them .spend their
lives in conquering an empire for the
king of England.
The deepest hopes and plans of ty-
ranny were thus from the first gath
cred round the subjugation of the Irish
people; in their ruin, liberty and ma
tionality elsewhere were to be over
thrown. The same spirit has survived
to our own days. We have seen Irish
militia taken from a hungry, idle. un-
educated, and depopulated country, and
sent out in the name of Civilization
to burn the farms of the Beers.
In the Boer war no regiment was so
distinguished as the Royal Dublin
Fusiliers, which was renowned for its
bravery, and had the heaviest losses
something like 800 men killed out of
500. After two years hard work and
continual marching over the country
could not see why the Beers should
lose their land, or that they should be
used in inflicting such hardships on
the farmers. The regiment was sent
out of its turn, to Alden, for the men
to die on the hottest and most un-
healthy post on the Red Sea.
And we see England trying to re-
cruit her forces, broken by the Beers.
from the young men Of Ireland today.
So desperately in need Of regiments.
which she can ship at q moments no.
tice to a foreign war is she, that Ar
mold Foster, her Minister df War. has
brought in new militia bill. making
it compulsory for militia regiments a
do foreign service. s.
BY this new bill, the Enelishyw q,
longer have to bribe the Irish to g. 3
abroad. They will compel them ~ 4
The militia regiments hake a,wsy.. ,,.
! been meant to serve at home. I'D \