The Washington herald., 1918-05-14
TAY PAY FEARS
BLOODSHED IN
EMERALD ISLE
Irish Conscription Without
Home Rule May Bring
Another Revolt.

That Irish conscription without
Irish Home Rule might be followed
by another aEster rebellion. or worse.
was the warning last night OF T. +.
O'Connor. NJ. p. and Irish NationsI-
ist leader. in the auditorium of the
Department OF the Interior before a
large and distinguished audience.
The meeting was under the AUSPICES
Of a committee consisting Of Senator
H. C. Lodge. Senator James ID. Phe-
Ian, Representative James A. Gillivan
and Representative John Jacob
Rogers. Mr.. OConnor. who mas been
In this country since last July. mas
announced his intention OF sailing for
Ireland in the near future.
"Ireland is not opposed to conscI ip-
ton In principle" declared Mr.. O'Con-
nor. THE difference between Pre-
mier Lloyd George and the Irish peo-
pie Is not on the question of con-
scription. but on the means OF con-
scription. Ireland wants her men
conscripted by an Irish parliament.
not by an English parliament.
"Over 10000 Irish boys lie dead un-
der the sands of GaIlipoli. and un-
der the blooming poppies OF Flanders.
They were not only fighting for the
freedom OF the world: they thought
that they were fighting for the free
do moi Ireland. The freedom of Ire
land has not yet come! Give ireland
her freedom" he pleaded.
Resistance May he Passive.
what methods resistance may
take" he said, "it is Impossible to
tell. I am inclined to believe that. as
rule, IL conscription should be at
tempted. the resistance would be
passive rather than active; but II is
impossible to guarantee that there
will be no bloodshed.
Among the most prudent and mod
rate leaders OF ireland have been the
bishops OF the aCtholic Church and
the members OF the legal profession,
and they have combined now with tire
masses. in pledging themselves to re-
sist conscription.
What will II avail England to
add 5000 or 5000 or 100000 soldiers
to her present gigantic army. II. in
doing so. she estranges the men and
women Of Ireland? For the women
Of ireland. I may tell you. are just
today as the men. Will she not re-
many ~ Sh-N'
conscription, diverted from the bat
tie front. as she can hope to gain
by force?"
Quotes Other Leaders.
Mr.. OConnor quoted from the
speeches of various British states
men, parliamentary leaders and the
British press, including Lloyd George.
Henderson, Asquith. Redmond. the
Marquis OF Crewe, Lord Buckmas-
ter. Lord Lansdowne and Lord Plum
kett, in vonsensus of censure of the
unfulflled promises OF England for
Irish home rule. and apprehension of
the result Of conscription imposed by
an English parliament, instead Of by
an Irish one.
! Surely" added Mr.. O'Connor. 81
have a right to say. i'm the face of
this consensus of English and Irish
opinion, that no man can be open TO
the charge OF disloyalty to the cause
OF the allies, or hostility to England.
because he presses what such distin-
guished opinion unites in declaring a
rule OF ruin"
Freedom of Small Peoples.
Referring to the fact that the other
British colonies have exercised their
own wills as to whether they would
furnish men by voluntary enlistment
or by draft. and emphasizing the dam
ger to both England and Ireland IN
losing the good opinion OF the world.
the one through refusing freedom to
a small people in a war in which she
processes to be fighting for the free
dom OF small peoples; the other
through the appearance Of stacking,
Mr.. O'Connor concluded with an ap-
peal to America to give counsel to
England, in sympathy with her as
well as with Ireland, to save them
both from action that threatens to
widen the ancient breach.