The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-03-03
REDMOND CAMPAIGNS
IRELAND FOR RECRUITS
Holds Meetings in Scores of
Centers and Appeals for
Defense of "0ld Sod"
Correspondents Of Associated rrcsn.l

Correspondence Of Associated PrrsS.l
LONDON, March 3.-JOhn Redmond.
the veteran leader Of the Irish Home
Rulers. has been conducting notable
and strenuous campaign In ireland
for army recruits. He has held meet
inEs in scores Of ccnters. directing his
attention particularly to the agrIcul-
tural classes. and appealing to them 10
defend the "old sod" which they love.
1t Is not easy yet to judge tho sue
cess OF his trip. In large measure ho
hopes that he has sowCd seed which
will later bring forth fruit. Even Mr..
Redmond is little uncertain as to
how much his campaign has done.
II often wonder" he remarked In
reply to q question, whether the Irish
farmers realize what Is at stake In
this war. | have tried 10 show them
that II 1t goes on indefinitely ireland
will be crushed by taxation and Its
farmers will lose absolutely and COM
plotely the whole value OF all that they
have won in the past. II Germany Ia
vistorlous. believe that the country
will be beggared."
sis II easy tt convince them?" Mr..
Redmond was asked.
mo! 1t is not" he replied. IT am
afraid they have not heen approached
properly In the matter Of recruiting.
They have been unwisely attacked and
abused. and in some districts prova-
cAtive speeches have been made"
Turning to his belief in Ireland's
vital interest in pushing the war, Mr..
Redmond said:
every day that has passed since the
war began has convinced me more and
more profoundly that the highest in
terest of ireland from every point of
view is the speedy and victorious end
OF this war. feel 1t 30 strongly that
IL stood alone would still raise my
voice, even though II were In vain, and
| would face any consequence, polit-
ical or otherwise, which might ensrle.
And when this great contest Is over,
when Ireland has faced the test sub
mitted so suddenly. when success has
crowned the arms of the Allies, then
am certain, Ireland will have added
a proud chapter to its history"
Mr.. Redmond's method OF dealing
with Is audiences was we'll illustrated
by his speech Mt the Dublin Mansion
House, perhaps the finest effort of his
tour. He said. In part;
We come to speak to You about re-
cruiting. The towns have done mag
nificently. and 1t is mainly with the
agricultural districts that we now
have to deal. First / want to say that
the farmer who remains at homo be-
cause he Is necessary for working the
land Ia as much a patriot as the man
who Is unnecessary on the land and
who goes to the front.
II deprecate anything In the ma
ture ~ indiscriminate attacks on the
farming classes. The great difference
between England and Ireland ia that
Ireland Is mostly an agricultural
country, and England mainly an In
dustrial one. If you compare tho
action Of the agricultural counties in
England with that of those in Ire
land. you will find 1t Is pretty much
the same. We have had no figures
with reference to recruiting in agri-
cultural districts In England, and L
venture to say that IL they were pro-
duced you would find that recruiting
in purely agricultural England has
been no whit better than in agrfcul-
tural districts here. r.
AT the same time It Is true OF
both countries that there are many
men who are not necessary for the
cultivation OF the land who have not
fulfilled their duty in the matter OF
recruiting. and who ought to do so.
Where farmer has two or three
sons and a comparatively small farm,
where they are not necessary for its
working, one Mt least, IL not more,
should brave the risks and do his
duty.
Farmers in ireland, above all 9TH
ers, have especial interest in a speedy
end to, and SPEEDY victory In, the
war. There Is no class In any coun-
try who have had so magnificent
fight made for them by the whole ma
tion. In the past generation they
were serfH, but they are now FREQ
men. Then they had not the small
est property even in the improve
ments carried out by their own thrift
and industry, but today they are the
owners of the soil they till.
LET the farmers remember that
this great change was carried out by
the sacrifices OF the whole Irish ma
ton, and especially by the courage |
~ wn aH,{Enagt &f the, In In