The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-04-12
IRISH CONSUMPTION

1t is to be supposed the Lloyd
George ministry carefully weighed
the situation before the British Pre-
mier made his assertion regarding
Irish CONSUMPTION, which set the House
of Commons in an uproar, Tuesday.
Public opinion in England, so far as
we can judge by the press comments,
upholds Lloyd George, in the main,
although there are evidences that ev-
en- in a crisis like the present some
Englishmen cannot forget politics.
In Ireland there seems to be an ev-
en- greater unanimity, but it is all the
other way. Irishmen and Orangemen,
Ulsterites, Nationalist and Sim
Feiners assert they will never sub
nit to the draft and that any attempt
to apply it to Ireland will result in re-
bellion.
The situation is delicate, and even
dangerous. If the first angry out
bursts are indicative of Irish feeling
in general, it may have bearing on
the fighting in France and Flanders
and perhaps on the result of the war.
The whole world, therefore, is inter
estcd and there is far more at stake
than a domestic crisis in Great Brit
ain.
The people of the United States,
who furnished most of the money and
other support that kept the "Irish
question" alive for many years, are
just now primarily interested in WIN
ming the war. They are unable to see
how an Irish rebellion at this time
can be otherwise than harmful to the
Allied cause. Having submitted to
CONSUMPTION themselves and surren-
dered many of their boasted rights and
liberties, for the time being, to adj
vance the common cause, they cannot
understand why Irishmen refuse to
do the same.
Admitting that British statesman
ship has Numbered at every turn in
handling the Irish question; that
force has been used when it was not
necessary, and that the government S
policy has been weak, when it should
have been strong, notably in not hav-
ing enforced CONSUMPTION in Ireland
when it was enforced in England,
Scotland and Wales, we cannot get
away from the question: How is this
outbreak at critical time going to
help whip the Germans? Is it not, on
the contrary, just what Germany
wants in the way of an attack in the
rear of the British armies?
The people of the United States
would like to see Ireland have home
rule-the real, genuine article, and
not makeshift brand. But even
British rule is preferable to German
rule, and that is what Irish rebellion
at this time threatens, not only for
Ireland, but for the world. And,
speaking of CONSUMPTION, how long
do the Irish statesmen imagine they
would escape it if one of the Kaiser's
sons ruled in Dublin?
1t is said that most of the Irishmen
affected by the draft are now in the
United States and that the attempted
enforcement of the law would cause
trouble here. We do not believe this.
any more than we believe the gloomy
representations of the anti-conscrfp-
tionists before our selective draft went
into effect. AS matter of fact, the
sentiment in this country is so strong
for vigorous prosecutions the war
and nowhere is it stronger than
among the Americans of Irish birth
or descent-that the resident Irish
man who refused to register under
such conditions would find himself
very much out of place.
Ireland can win freedom, home rule
and "place in the sun" by taking off
her coat and helping whip the Hun.
All she can hope to win by playing
the German game" as some of her
leaders now seem intent upon doing,
is multiplication of her woes.
nnNrn