New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-04
IRELAND'S SOLDIERS
Reasons for Believing That 300,-
600 Are with the Colors.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: On February % you published an ed
torial in which you stated that the decara-
tion OF Mr.. John I. Redmond that the Irish
regiments must rot be diluted By recruits
from England and Scotland was belated. as
this thing had already been done. You also
said that the actual figures did not substan-
tiate his claims as 10 the response of Ireland
to the call for recruits, and that Ulster had
given great excess over the other provinces
Of ireland.
The whole trend Of the editorial was TO
the effect that Nationals, ireland was not
doing is full duty in the war and that Union
lists and Home Rulers were doing won
derfuly we'll. and that the whole situation
was such TO give great satisfaction 10 the
followers Of Nr. Carson and great anxiety to
Mr. Redmond and his followers.
All Of this is in direct contra,cntion OF
the truth. Any one at all familiar with the
public record Of Mr. Redmond would hest
tate before declaring that any public utter
ance Of his vas not founded upon known
facts and capable Of proof
No man in public life could be moro care
ful of his uttcrances nor more clear and
specific in his statements. IN speech de-
lvered by him i'm Galway on Wednesday,
February 3, at which Lord Wimborne and
Mr.. Birrcll also spoke, he said: Happily.
to-day we have i'm the report of his excel
lency the official authentic figures on this
matter. and VIC find that the recruits TO the
army up to the sth Of January last in Ireland
were S6.277 and TO the navy 3,446, making
total of s9,7i3. In that magnificent record
Ulster leads the van. naturally and properly.
The population Of Ulster is more than one
third of the whole population of ireland.
Ulster IS the province where the largest
manufacturing centres IN Ireland arc grouped.
Ulster Is the province where the largest pro-
portion of the population are engaged in
manufacturing Industries. and therefore u
ster is the place that affords naturally the
largest reservoir for recruiting: and in ad
dition 10 that there Is this fact: that there
were less men from Ulster in the army be
fore the war broke out than from any other
part Of Ireland; and / am glad and proud to
be able to say that the magnificent record OF
Ulster is record of ell classes and creeds
in Ulster because | ind that 1925 Catholic
FISHERMEN are included in the list.
The city OF Dublin has sent 1929 re-
cruts, and. 81 his eXcellency has said, every
town in Ireland has done wells not the
towns IN the North or South or the East or
the West, but the towns in every province OF
Ireland have done equally we'll So far a.
the agricultural portions are concerned there
has been a slackness, but the slackness IN
the Wcs. or the East or the South not more
than the agricultural districts in the North.
The record is the same everywhere II is
the same, "a his excellency has said, in Eng
land"
Again | quote: Now We have therefore,
on these figures. including the recruits for
The army and the recruits for the navy. and
the reseryists and the Irishmen who were
IT, the army when the war commenced we
have today 1852 men from Ireland with
the colors And If you add TO them as it
would be fair to do-lrishmen who enlisted
in Great Britain, the result. according to
carefully prepared returns-not official re-
turns. am sorry 10 say, because We have
been unable 10 get permission for official re-
turns from Great Britain but according to
the returns we have got from every parish
church in Scotland, Wales and England at
least 10000 Irishmen have enlisted in Great
Britain. which means that a. this moment
we have at least-not counting the large pro-
portion of lrshmen from Canada. Australia,
New Zealand and South Africa-we have in
GLIDING only the Irshmen enlisted in Ire
land and Great Britain. az least 100000 Irish
men with the colors."
The so-caled dilution Of Irish regiments
which has so far occurred has not been By
Scotchmen. Englishmen or Wclshmen. but by
Irishmen who have happened to be residents
Of Scotland. England and Wales.
| maintain that Nationalist Ireland is en-
Enthusiastically with Mr.. Redmond in his at