The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-09

them to the front to fight for England But they answered: Take your English
 soldiers out of Ireland and we shall defend the coasts of Ireland. But Eng
 land refused to trust the defense of
 Ireland to the volunteers. She knows
 the value of Irishmen as fighters. She wants them in the firing line and that 1t the only place that she has ever been willing to give Ireland a fair representation. But they answer we were not enrolled to fight Englands s battles and we won't do 1t.
 Furthermore. Ireland knows full well | that she has given more than her share | tc Englands army in every war for generations. Have the services of those men been rewarded? Then why should | the volunteers gain anything by fight | ing the Germans? Those poor fellows | 1t Is true, did not join the English army | from love of England, but because they
 could get no work to do and did not | have enough money to emf grate. Eng i, land wants the Irish to fight her bat l ties; but she will have all the glory 1 and the gain. Englishmen are not rush. l ing Into the army and there are those in England who do not want them The Liverpool Post recently published an editorial calling upon the King to sign the home rule bill and then make personal appeal to the Irish to en- list.
 Then" says the editorial, 'our own workmen can stay at home and work our | factories and shops at highest efficiency, for it is as important that our manu- lecturers capture German trade as that our armies win battles" Characteristic of John Bull. Let the Irish, Scotch, Co., l, lonials. Indians and Africans do our fight
 ing whilst we get the glory and the trade especially the latter.
 l John Redmond has been persuaded to take the stump for England. But he does ] not represent the wishes of the Irish peo- ] pie. His words have fallen on deaf ears. l The people of Ireland will listen rather l to the venerable Cardinal Archbishop of | Armagh the Primate of all Ireland. Tn a
 recent interview Cardinal Logue has said: All I said to the reporters in Rome
 was that was sincerely sorry for Bel gium. Every Irish heart extends Its sym 1 pathy, but I never did, and I do not i now place the blame for these misfortunes brought upon her by the stand she took in this terrible conflict. Time alone will 1 tell the tale and fix the blame.
 ]; T certainly never. urged Irishmen to 1 fight the Germans. I thank God that i Ireland, by no act of hers, caused this l horrible war. and I do not hesitate to ] say that 1rishmen who are not already
 sworn soldiers of England should stay 1 out of the war and mind their own busi- I ness in their own country. We can't I spare a man from Ireland; certainly not 1 for a war which is generally regarded as 1 unjust and crime against civilization l As to the promise of home rule after the war l don't trust l never did trust. the promises of English politicians, and if they are not to be trusted in ordinary ! times. they certainly ought not to be trusted in times of great international un- cerainty. The promise of home rule after the war should be no inducement to Irish- men to enter this conflict"
 ! This interview I know to be authentic j for l heard the distinguished head of
 the Irish hierarchy make an almost
 identical statement in the city of Lon ! day at the very beginning of the war.
 Those who know Ireland and the Irish people will readily that he Is far more liable to represent the true state of public opinion in Ireland than the ] writer of your article who would have I us believe that the Irish people had for
 gotten in day the history of centuries and are rushing to the front to fight I England's battles that her own sons
 may be free to stay at home to play their cricket and football or lay plans for the capture of German commerce.
 (REV) PATRICK TURNER.
 I Birmingham, November ' 1914