The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-01-05

cult circumstances towards making
himself an Efficient soldier of the Ma
tional Army, and each county is eX-
pected to- see to the training and arm
ing of it's own men. 1t must also see
that well-defned lines of communica-
ton are kept with the surrounding
counties.
"The Executive, of course, are in
the last degree responsible for all this
work, and they call with confidence
on all officers and men to cooperate
with them in carrying it out as speed
lily as possible. They guarantee in
return that they viii not issue an
order to take the field until they con-
slider that the force is in position to
wage war on the enemy with reason
able hope of success. Volunteers as
whole may consequently rest assured
that they will not be called upon to
take part in any forlorn hope.
Let each one get to his work at
once. and when the Executive are sat
isfied that the right moment has come
that is, when they are strongest
and the enemy are weakest-they will
give the order to strike, and then let
it be done relentlessly.-By Order,
"Executive Irish Volunteers"
Dated 22nd May, 1917"
Contingent Rebellion.
All this language is very clear. 1t
points in the most emphatic and dis
tinct way to one thing, and one thing
only. Rebellion. Rebellion, perhaps,
in contingency. 1t is not difficult to
guess the contingency. 1t is this
that if Germany can land a few thou
sand rifles in Ireland our brave lands
are to seize the rifles and march to
attack England's power. The landing
of arms by Germany, in conjunction
with the Sim Fem leaders, was tried
before; ! believe it was tried twice.
The first time was prior to Easter
Week, 1916. The arms were sent.
with the ship that carried them, to
the bottom of the sea. The second
time was some time in the Spring OF
this year, when, suddenly, and with
out warning, a number Sim Fem
leaders were arrested and deported.
At any rate, the reason alleged for
the deportation was, I understand
that there was such concerted at
tempt.
The third time will come. That is
certain. Germany will again try to
use Ireland as a pawn in the game.
Germany cares nothing for Ireland
save to use her. The Kaiser will use
or abuse Ireland as he used and
abused Belgium-when and how it
suits him.
What will happen when the third
time comes along? Our poor, brave,
misguided lads will, no doubt, get
their orders and act upon them. They
will fight, and fight CALAMITY. But
with what an awful result. They will
be mown down in thousands by Eng
lands bombs, machine guns, and artil-
lery. Full many widow will mourn
her husband, many a mother her
child. And the destruction of civil
ians and civilian property will be i'm
measurable.
Military Readiness.
In the Easter uprising of 1916 the
number of civilian casualties was 800
killed and 700 wounded. If there is
another uprising they may we'll be ten
times that. Nobody can view with
out alarm the elaborate military prep
arations going on in our midst. 1t is
regiments are being sent to Ireland,
with their horrible accompaniment of
artillery, aeroplanes and tanks. Every
district will be isolated, communica-
ton cut off. Trade will be at stand
still; hunger and suffering will en-
sue. And then the awful aftermath
Listen to what the Irish Catholic"
has tao say:
ION the prelates, priests and par
ents of Catholic Ireland rests today
a great responsibility, which we know
full we'll will be worthily discharged
To talk about patriotism in connec-
ton with the conspiracy is akin to
blasphemy. To seek to save our peo-
pie from the material and moral perils
it portends - to preserve our gallant
boys from death in the tolls of the
hangman's moose seems to us the
truest service we can render to the
country we love as sincerely as do
any of those Who-wittingly or unwit-
ting!y-are now engaged in criminal
and futile .propa ganda all over the
land"
IreIand's Future.
We all know what enemies Ireland
and Ireland's cause have, open and
secret. And the secret enemy - the
hidden hands the worst. Nothing
would please these enemies more than
a second resort to physical force. The
argument against Ireland's freedom
will receive terrific momentum
thereby. Even the Germans see that
The following is a verbatim extract
from the Hamburger Nachrichten''
a leading German paper. of October
26, and shows what the Germans real
ly thicl. about Irelands future. It
co