The circle banner., 1918-04-19
HOME RULE AND
DRAFT FOR IRISH
CONSUMPTION MEASURE WOULD
TAKE MEN BETWEEN AGES
OF 1s AND so YEARS.
PROGRAM MEETS OPPOSITION
Irish Convention Report is Laid on
TabIe-Premier Lloyd George
Says Fight Is as Much Ire
lands as EnaIand's.

London, April 10-Parliament has
reassembled after the Easter recess
with two questions of great Importance
upon its hands. The first is the new
military service bill whicn raises The
age limit years and makes those
born after fixed date in the spring Of
1857 liable to bear arms. The second
Is another and what promises to be
strong attempt to deal with the an
cient and always contentious prob
lem of government for Ireland.
Both these issues have been thrust
upon the cabinet during the brief re-
cess. the first by the desperate Ger
man attacks In France which demand
all the men the allies can muster as
quickly as they can be put in the field.
and the second by the conclusion of
the Irish convention and the rendering
of its report which Premier Lloyd
George promised would be followed by
legislation.
The deepest attention is commanded
by the conscription bill because it vir-
tually affects the interests and des-
TIMES of hundreds of thousands of
men and families in that portion of
the United Kingdom east of the Irish
sea.
Premier Lloyd George told the house
of commons that when the battle on
the SOmme front commenced, the total
combatant strength of the German ar
my on the west front was approxi-
mately equal to the total strength of
the entente allies.
Conditions Uncertain.
Mr.. Lloyd George said his man-power
would involve an extra sac
rifice by part of the population of
Great Britain.
The Cambria battle, he said. was
very trivial event when compared
with the recent battle, and until the
strain had relaxed it would be diff
cult to find out exactly what had hap
)ened.
In the course of his speech the Brit
sh premier said:
"We have now entered the most
'ritical period of the war. There is
| lull in the storm, but the hurricane
s not over yet. The fate of the en-
lire, of Europe and of liberty may
lepend upon the success with which
he last German attack is resisted and
When an emergency had arisen
Which made it necessary to put men
f so and boys of 1S into the fight for
berty. Mr.. Lloyd George declared it
lsn made If ip,nnocihlo
reland from conscTiption by a parlia-
lent in which Ireland was REPRESENT
d and which had committed the colin-
" to the war without dissenting
ote.
Use Yankees Now.
The premier said the fighting
-rength of the Americans would be
rought to bear Immediately, although
was impossible to put into France
the moment the number of trained
mericans as a separate army that
ad been expected. The Americans
ould be brigaded with the allied
oops.
Premier Lloyd George announced
at the Irish convention report had
zen laid on the table.
The character of the quarrel in
hich the country was engaged. the
'emier said, was as much Irish as
nglish.
When Mr.. Lloyd George referred to
Gland, Alfred Byrne, nationalist
ember from Dublin, shouted: eWe
ont have conscription in Ireland."
An uproar followed.
1t would be some weeks before en-
llment in Ireland began. the premier
One nationalist cried out:
"It will never begin.''
Michael Flavin, nationalist member
ON Kerry, said: "You come across
ID try to take u.s."
Referring to the Turkish campaign,
r. Lloyd George said two Turkish
mics had been destroyed, in Pales
he and in Mesopotania. Germm,
ttaliops had been sent to help the
lrks in Palestine. thereby relieving
e western front.
a -