Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-10-27
Has Ireland Shirked?

| EOnQON, Cl0 DTlllSn government,
impressed by the necessity of
making good that wastage of re-
cent campaigns, is about to bring
Ireland within the purview of the
compulsory service act. Advo-
Gates of this step contend that
the Emerald Isle. as a whole, has
fallen far short of her quota, un-
der the voluntary system. In
other words, it is considered that
Ireland has shirked, despite the
superb deeds of valor which
Irish regiments. Nationalists as
we'll as Ulsterites, have
done in all theaters of the con-
flict.
We doubt very much whether
the record would support this
charge, even in the purely sta
tistical sense. But the charge is
manifestly false, from another
standpoint. Before an individual
or a race, can truly be said to
shirk, he Cor it, must have a
manifest duty to perform and
shrink from the performance,
through cowardiee or slackness.
To accuse the Irish Of cowardice
would be absurd, even in Tory
circles. Why, then. has Nation
alist Ireland bovcotted the re-
cruiting sergeant of late, de-
spite Mr.. Redmonds appeals? It.
was not so in the earlier stages
of the struggle; it would not be
so today unless something had
happened to chill Nationalist
loyalty.
Alas, the record proves that
many things have conduced to
the sinister change. In the first
place, it has been shown that
British troops wonld not be used
against Ulster, though they were
used with every circumstance of
frightfulness against the Sim
Fein revolt. And, as home rule
has been hung up for the period
of the war, it is natural to be-
lieve that the troops will be used
to repress any home rule move.
ment after peace comes. Nation
alist regiments have seldom, if
ever, been mentiohed IL I've oth'
cial accounts of battles upon
which the fate of the empire mani.
festly hung; from which it is fair
to infer that the empire does not
value Nationalist Irishmen, ex. |
cept as food for shrapnel and
poison gas. And the executions
which rounded out the army's
fierce work in Dublin left no pos,
sibility of mistake as to the spirit
that will pervade British policy,
in peace as in war, if the Tories
continue to sway the Coalition
cabinet, or the vicissitudes of
politics enable them to eject the
Liberals altogether. In such cir
it is not at all strange
that Nationalist Ireland's original
enthusiasm should have fallen to
zero; no self-respecting people can
afford to ignore repeated slaps in
the face. Would the Beers be
found supporting the imperial
cause without stint if Sir Henry
Campbell Bannerman had not
been wise enough to give them
home rule on the very morrow of
conquesti Would Australia and
Canada be draining themselves OF
blood and treasure if the mother.
land had continued to rule them
as crown colonies'
The Atlantic monthly for Oc-
tober contains a striking article
On our diplomatic relations with
England. AS the article shows,
our relations with England have
been sunny, or the reverse, ac-
as the Liberals, or the
Tories, happened to be in the
saddle. AS the author says, it is
a question whether America
would have eiolted If Charles
James Fox, instead of Lord North,
had been George lips premier
when the controversy over colon
Ial taxation became acute. 1t was
Lord Salisbury, a Tory of Tories,
who brought America and Eng
land to the verge of war by the
fashion in which he
Mr.. Olney's protests,
on Venezuela's behalf. In each
case it was Tory hateur and lack
Of Imagination that created the
crisis. And it is Tory hauteur
and lack of imagination that pre-.
vented an Irish settlement along
the lines which a Liberal premier
leader laid down in South Africa.
Let Ireland be treated as South
Africa was treated and she will
keep her regiments full, without
the shadow of compulsion; let
South Africa be treated as Nation