New Britain herald., 1918-05-06
ROMERI MAY ENLIST TO
AVENGE KILLING OF SON
DILLON URGES Irish
TO HOLD OUT 2 WEEKS
Believes Firm Stand Will
Mean Death of Con-
scription Bill.

LONDON, May O.-[Anll- l-COnSCIlpClOn
speeches were made from the same
platform by John Dillon, Nationalist
leader, and Professor Edward De
Valera, head of the Sim Fein, yes
terday at Belaghaderee, in Dillon's
constituency of East Mayo. Good
humor and enthusiasm characterized
the demonstration which was at.
tended by $1,000 persons. Mr.. DilloI
said that if the Irish kept united and
determined for another two weeks
they would defeat conscription. IL
was an atrocious form of oppression
to try to compel a people to fight foi
a country not their own. He PERSONAL
ly opposed conscription whether in
Great Britain or in Ireland, and be-
lieved it was a great blunder to de-
part from Englands settled policy
against compulsory service, especially
when it was not to defend the soil of
Great Britain but to send huge armies
to the continent.
It was impossible and unthinkable,
the Nationalist leader declared, to at
tempt to apply consumption to q free
and democratic people unless there
was an agreement amounting almost
to unanimity. He earnestly appealed
for q spirit of frank and friendly CO.
operation throughout Ireland. With
out this, unity was impossible. Com
mittees throughout the country must
be organized with a sincere desire to
give fair representation to all sections.
If the nation was broken in the face
of the present terrific danger, Mr..
Dillon continued, the government
would be encouraged to pursue their
wicked and insane policy and the
discipline of the people which is es-
sential to the defeat Of conscription,
would be broken. Then the whole
game would be thrown into the hands
of the military authorities
The Natonalists and Sim Feiners,
he said, agreed the whole struggle for
Ireland's rights was based on tho
principale of her rights as q nation
There was a false impression in the
country that all danger was over.
This was a terribly false impression,
Mr.. Dillon declared. There was no
question that the government had
been staggered and no longer conf
dent about the practicabi1ity of their
policy as professed when the bill was
introduced.
Mr.. Dillon suggested a formation of
Irish committees attached to every
church and chapel SO that in the
event of a struggle being forced upon
them, the church could be the rally
ing point.
The nationalist leader declared he
was convinced it would take. an army
such as England could spare to carry
out successfully conscription in Ire
land. He was also convinced the
government would be split on the
Irish rock and instead Of destroying
the Irish nation the Irish would des-
troy them
De Valera said his followers would
unite with those of Mr. Dillon to de-
feat conscription. He said there was
only one arbitrator to whom the
Sim F'einers would submit namely
the free choice of the people.
Plunkett Suggests New Government.
Dublin, May 6-Declaring the gov
ernment conscription Home Rule
policy is disastrous, Sir Horace Plum
kett chairman of the recent Irish
convention, in a letter to the press,
suggests imm ediate establishment of
a responsible government in Ireland as
a way out of the difficulty.
"At the gravest crisis with which
the empire has been faced" says the
letter, 'the government had staked
their existence on a two-fold Irish
policy -conscription and Home Rule.
They cannot achieve both except at
the cost Of much present bloodshed
and lasting hate. They might achieve
the first and by it make the second
impossible.
I'm my opinion they would fail in
the second attempt and have to go on
leaving both undone. Their success
sors then would have to find way out
of the worst Irish situation in my
memory. which goes back to F'enian
days, 80 years ago.