The Irish standard., 1916-07-08
PERFIDIoUS ALBION.


flag. Race hatred and religious big
otry was excited to the utmost to bring
about civil war. Bonar Law Qeader of
the Tory party), Dublin, November %,
1913: 81 have said on behalf of the
party that If the government attempts
to cOerce Ulster before they have re-
ceived the sanction of the electors,
Ulster will do we'll to resist them, and
we will support resistance to the end"
In the midst IT this agitation Mr..
Redmond and the politicians stood su.
pine and helpless. They had nothing
whatever to do with starting the Vol
unteers. But when the Sim Feiners,
:setzing their opportunity with the help
OF their kinsmen in America, began
to arm the young men of Ireland and
fashion them into an army, the par
Elementary leader demanded full con-
troll of the organization.
"The party" says Colonel Moore,
had not hitherto approved all organ
ization that might develop on wrong
lines, but they now agreed to join
with committee of nine as a govern
ing body" Those who think that no.
thing can be accomplished in Ireland
without the parliamentarians would
,do we'll to note these words: I'VE had
succeeded in welding together all par
tiles in at least three out of four Irish
provinces. and we had achieved this
result without money or patronage.
but merely by the patriotism of our
people. the moderation of our words,
and the wisdom of our actions. 1t is
result of which I at least am proud"
Such was the position of the Irish
Volunteers at the opening of the world
war. In the spring of 1914 they num-
bered about 10000. the flower of
Irish manhood. drawn from every coun-
ty in Ireland. and ofticered by their
natural leaders. 1.-THE most promin-
ent UniOnists in Ireland offered their
services. Men like Lord POwerscourt,
Lord Fingal, Marquis of Conyng-
ham, Captain Bryan Cooper, Lord
Arran and numberless others, patriot
ically putting aside old antagonisms,
came to our help and became officers
of the Irish Volunteers. We had al
ready far surpassed the Ulster Volun-
teers in number, and now also we were
ahead of them in the rank and posi-
ton of our officers" Ireland, resur-
gent at last, after more than century
of torpor, alternating between hope
and despair, stood girded for battle in
defense of her sacred rights. What
she needed now was Grattan to give
fiery expression to her passion for JUS.
tice and liberty; but genius like his
was, alas. not forthcoming in the i'm
pending crisis. War was declared in
August, and as Colonel Moore grace
fully says, "Mr. Redmond relieved the
situation by making a public and un-
conditional offer of the services of the
Volunteers for the defense of the coun-
try" This offer relieved the situation
for England certainly; but it ruined
the situation for Ireland. 1t split the
Volunteers and made Carson lord of
misrule How did the government take
Mr.. Redmond's offer of the blood of
his countrymen as a holocaust to the
British Moloch? Listen to Colonel
Moore: CAS- usual the government
hesitated what course to pursue. and
tried to do nothing" And the saddest
feature of it all was that Redmond
made his offer before King George had
signed the Home Rule bill. and while
the ministers still withheld 1t as a