IRISHMEN AND THE WAR.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16856, 9 June 1920, Page 7

IRISHMEN AND THE WAR.

*0 TIIK EDITOR cr "THB FKXS3." Sir,—la your issua of to-dav a letter appears oror the signature of*R. Kelleher, junr., 011 this subject, anil, after en ten n bis protest- against the action of certain Wanganni citizens, proceeds to ask a string of questions. Now all these can best In- answered by a very few statistics. The Minister of Na- { ticnal Service stated in the House of i Commons 011 January 14tli, 191S, "that j the Empire had contributed from the timr* thn wnr Krnlv-o nnf. nr* rn tKil

time the war broke out up to that date 7,o00,00i) men, exclusive of officers anil men of tho mercantile marine, viz., England, -1.530,000, or G0.4 per cent, of total; Scotland 020.000, or 8.3 per cent.; Wales 280,000, or 3.7 per cent.; Ireland, 170,000, or 2.3 per cent.; Dominions and colonies 900,000, or 12.0 per cent.; India and dependencies 1,000,000, or 13.3 per cent. These figures speak for themselves, and -although they do not give the actual • strength of the forces nt tho time of J the armistice, they are sufficient to show what Irishmen did during tho war, sa far as volunteering to fight for the Empire and the rights of smaller nations go. Mr Kclleher tells us whnr. happened in Xewcastle-on-TVne during the first few weeks of the war. Quite true, and those who then volunteered arc to bo commended. These men were all enrolled as Irishmen, and. with tho thousands of other Irishmen from ether parts of the Empire, went to make up the paltry 2.3 per cent, of tho fighting forces. These enlistments all took placo during tho first few weeks of tho war, but what of the millions —I say millions I—of1—of fit and eligiblo Irishmen who listened to tho voice of the agitator and did not- volunteer? Ulster sent over 80 per cent, of her eligible manhood— all Irishmen—and if tho rest of Ireland had done the same, the chances aro the war would have been won even sooner, for there is no greater lighting man in tho world, when well led, than tho Irish.—Yours, etc..

insu. — lours, etc.j AN IRISHMAN. Juno sth, IC2O.