New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-14
Faith 4uithout Hope
Continual from first column

Willoughby de- Broke and Lord Roberts and 81,
Edward Carson and Bonar Law 10 advise and
stimulate rebellion. Some Of the best British
generals in the army, 10 the delight Of Ger.
many, were definitely available as leaders. A
provisional government, with Carson as its
Premier, was arranged for in 1911 The
Unionist and Orange organizations pledged
themselves that under no conditions would they
acknowledge Home Rule government or obey
it's DEGREES In 1912 the Solemn Covenanter,
pledged themselves ITO refuse TO recognize il,
authority" During this period the govern.
ment negotiated, but took no action. There
were no Nationalist under arms.
II free men have right TO rebel, how car
any one gainsay Ulster? It was the Ulster
contention that Home Rule would be unreason
able, intoerable. and unjust This was
prophecy, perhaps a natural and credible
prophecy. But it is not necessary to debate
the Ulster rebellion. II was hard heritage
of Englands crime against Ireland It /,
enough to say that English authority refused
TO abandon the Home Rule measure, and IN
April, 1914, Mr.. Asquith promised to yndicate
the law.
The British League for the support OF Ulster
had sent out "war calls" The Ulster Unionis!
Council had appropriated 100000 for voun.
teer widows and orphans. Arms had been
landed from America and, 1t was said, from
Germany. Carson had refused 10 negotiate
any further His mobilization in 1914 became
ominous. The government started in moving
troops to Ulster. The King interviewed. Mr.
Balfour inveighed against the proposal to US.
troops The army consulted with Carson.
Generals French and Ewart resigned.
About this period, with Asquith and Birrell
failing to put England's pledges to the proof,
the National Volunteers at last were being or
gained. Mr.. Asquth temporized further. AT
his behest John Redmond peremptorily as
sumed control of the Volunteers. Their Sc
lccted leader was Professor MacNe fore
most spirit in the non-poltica Gaelic revival.
There was formal harmony until the European
war was declared, when Mr.. Redmond sought
to utilize the National Volunteers for recruit
ing. This move made definite the purely ma
tional dedication Of the Irish Volunteers.
Four events occurred in rapid succession TO
destroy the Irish Volunteers confidence in
English authority. These were decisive events,
and yet events over which the Irish Voun-
teers could have no control.
On July TO- 1914 armed Ulster Volunteers
marched through Belfast, and Sir Edward
Carson held the first meeting Of his provisional
government.
On July 26, 1914, the British troops killed
four persons and wounded sixty persons be-
cause rowdies had thrown stones at them IN
Dublin, subsequent to their futile attempt to
intercept Irish Volunteer arms.
On September 10, 1914, the Home Rule bin
was signed, but its operation indefinitely sus.
pended.
In May, 1915, Sir Edward Carson became
member of the British Cabinet.
These events were endured by John Red
mond. He had early accepted a Fabian policy
and put his trust in Engshmen who shirked
paying the price OF maintaining the law they
decreed. The more radical men in Dublin were
not so trusting. They had heard Asquith
promise that no permanent division Of ireland
would be permitted. and they learned he had
bargained for It. They had heard him promise
he would vindicate the law, and they saw him
sanction the defiant military leader as com.
mander in chief and the defiant civil leader
as minister Of the Grown. With the vivid
memory Of British troops killing Irish citi-
zens or the streets OF Dublin, they drew their
conclusions as to English honor. They had
no impulse to recruit for the defence on the
Continent of an empire thus honorable. They
looked back on the evil history they had been
ready to forget. They prepared to strike and
TO die.
Irshmen like myself who believed in Home
Rule and disbeleved in revolution did not
agree with this spirit. We thought Southern
Ireland might persuade Ulster. We thought
English authority was possibly weak and
shifty, but benign. We did not wish to see
Ireland, in the words Of Professor MacNeill,
go fornicating with Germany. When our
brothers went to the European war we took
England's gratitude as heartfelt and her re-
pentance as deep. Our history was one OF
forcible conquest torture, rape, enforced sub
serviencc, ignorance, poverty, famine. But
we listened to G.. X Chesterton about English
men in relation to magnanimous Ireland: ~
was TO doubt whether we were worthy to kiss
the hem of her garment"
All the deeper then, the shock we received
from the execution of our men of finest mettle
They were guilty Of rebellion in war time, but
so was De Wet in South Africa. There seems
to have been calculation based on the greater
military strength of the Dutch a government
which had negotiated with rebels in the North
L. Ill