Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-16
IRELAND AND THE DRAFT

mo faint heartedneSS OIL tue suA
ors must make the sacrifice OF our
dead in vain" is the conclusion OF the
London Daily Mail in its comment on
the proposal by Premier Lloyd George
Tor CONSUMPTION in the British isles az.
fecting all men between the ages OF
Is and 50. The principal objection 10
the draft, Of course. comes from ire
land. where the demand for home rule
was about to involve the whole OF
Great Britain in civil war when the
greater struggle began.
AZ that time Ireland shelved her
0wn quarrel to Join in the DEFENSE OF
The parent government, impeiled oy
patriotism and by the knowledge that
a adding to the sum OF the BRUSH
strength Ireland would be protecting
herself against the common enemy.
Thousands Of 1Tishmen are fghting un-
der Field Marshal Haig today. Otner
thousands have laid down their lives
In France or Flanders or in other the
aters of war, and the cause for which
they died is no less worthy OF sacr1nce
today than when they fell
That their service shall not have
Aeen In vain. new armies must be
raised to protect civilization, and be-
cause the man power of the British
isles has been subject to an extraor'
binary drain the government has de-
cided to adopt CONSUMPTION as the only
means Of filling the great gaps IN the
British forces which have resulted
from the new German offensive.
The attitude Of Ireland on conscrip-
h0Qrinp
the fortunes OF the allied cause during
the summer campaign. II 1t 10 neces
eary to use force to keep order and
conduct the draft the army on the
western front must be weakened. The
great battle in progress there now
gives ample proof that the forces
81 the central powers are either more
numerous or capable of more rap
IA shifting than those OF their
opponents. There could be no more
convincing proof Of the seriousness Of
the man power problem than Lloyd
Georges momentous speech before the
house of commons Tuesday, his plea
for CONSUMPTION and his warning that
Che battle which is raging in France
may decide the war and the fate Of the
world.
1t was with realization Of the grave
condition that the London Daily News
uttered its Injunction, "No faint heart
edness Of TIE survivors must make the
sacrifice OF our dead in vain" But 1t
a not faint heartedness In the case of
ireland. Insts the feeling against
England then. /, caused by convic-
tion that Ireland has received less
than her due from the mother coun-
try's government. There is no lack Of
SIGHTING spirit in Ireland; the problem
which means so much lust now is one
Of directing that spirit against Ger
many rather than against England.
This is time for strong men in
Great Britain and particularly in ire
land. From a distance 1t is easy to
oee that opposition to the draft or to
any British interest on the part Of
considerable portion Of Ireland jeopar-
dies the future Of the Irish people
along with all the rest Of Christen.
dom. It Is easy to see, too. with the
experiences Of Russia so fresh in mind
that in reducing the strength opposed
TO Germany Ireland Is inviting fate
far worse than anything that could be
conceived and imposed on the Irish
people by the most pronounced oppon-
ents of the home rule policy Great
Rritain might muster.