The Irish standard., 1917-02-03
of
the Month .
Taken From the "Irish Rosary" fol
January.
1.-THE Astonishing Year"-Ireland's
Upheaval.


most remarkable in modern history.
It witnessed an extraordinary develop
ment in Irish feeling. This country
had shown readiness to trust British
intentions just at the moment war was
declared. The deferring of Home Rule
disappointed hopes but did not kill
confidence. The latter result was &C
complished when the Coalition Govern
ment was formed-making the fulfil
ment of the promise to Ireland depend
ent on such personalities as Carson,
Balfour, and the other anti-lrish poll
ticians who then entered the cabinet.
From that point the Irish temper began
to alter.
Recruiting dwindled. With the open
ing of 1916 the meagre admissions OF
Irish gallantry in the field and the open
statements of cabinet ministers that
after the war the opposition to Home
Rule would be resumed as strongly as
before, moved the disgust of the Irish
public The almost complete cessation
of the flow of Irishmen to the colors
was the best index OF what the coun-
try thought. Events then occurring
seemed to justify the belief that the
country, so heartlessly made use of
and deluded, was going to be subjected
to the final wrong Conscription. This
heaping up of the agony provoked a
commensurate which was delivered in
the shape of the Instruction of Easter
Week.
Since then the more prudent Minis
tiers of England have followed the pol
icy of LET ireland alone" But all the
time the intriguers have been and are
still at work-even more DESTROYS Of
making trouble in Ireland than of win
ming the war.
Position Of the Allies.
The position of the Allies has stead
lily declined during the past twelve
months. 1t was calculated that the
second year would be one Of combat
in which, after the previous years
preparation, they would definitely as
sumo superiority and open the way tc
triumph. A point was certainly reached
last summer at which they outnum
bered the enemy in men, aeroplanes
guns, and munitions. But no appreci
able success was scored in the West
, ern front, where the summer advance
did not retrieve much ground whilst
involving huge expenditure Of life
. In the near East the position went
, wholly to the bad. The long angling
for Rumania's assistance ended in hel
coming in, only to be Immediately
ovtrrun by the enemy, the Rumanians
being practically unaided from any
4 quarter.
: Financially the strain of unsatisfac
r tory warfare has been telling. Britain
5 has thought it we'll to float loan ever
: in Japan. Within the British Isle
o there has been a silent disconten
|. among the people with the entire stat
= Of affairs. Coincidentally there ha
r been fierce newspaper campaign t.
a change some of the politicians of tn
d cabinet in the hope that this woul,
}. mean some corresponding change o
a luck. The DAILY News" the chic
3, London Radical organ, although depre
,. eating these attacks, has made the re
e markable statement that distrust o
,. Britain is spreading in France.
e Russia, that suffered so heavily a
g. the outset of the war, has been littl
v heard Of in the latest stages Of it. TIL
l. appointment of the new Russian pre-
l. mier, however, was regarded as net
'. tralizing any likelihood of separat
n peace.
n The German Effort.
e. The Germans? The efficiency {
q. their organization has been maintaine
" and their reserve Of individuals fitte