THE IRISH CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 183, 23 April 1918, Page 5

THE IRISH CRISIS

ROMAN CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN „ AGAINST CONSCRIPTION

MASS MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

PLEDGE ADMINISTERED BY

THE CLERGY

"cuorcir advice to the hush

(l!ec. April 22, 8 p.m.)

London, April 21. Mr. Devlin, It.P., iu a speech at Bolfast, advised the Irish to refuse to register for military service, to spit on tribunals, and refuso to go.—Renter.

(Hoc. April 22, 8.15 p.m.)

London, April 22. There have been extraordinary scenes in Roman Catholic Ireland. In practically every church tho priest celebrated intercessional masses that, tho people iniffht he delivered from conscription, while celebrants outsido the churches administered the pledge against conscription. Bishop Coholan, when administering fho pledge outside Cork Cathedral, advised the Sinn Joiners to be on their guard against unauthorised orders.

Tho Bishop of Ross, who administered tho pledge to three thousand people at a public meeting at Skibbereen, said: "If tho people of Ireland are calm, cool, and determined, the conscription order will never bo made."

Elsewhere during llio masses tho priests announced from tho altars that the people must assemble in certain halls and schoolrooms and sign the covenant against conscription, which the bishops had drawn up on. Vriday at Jlaynooth and tho political leaders had endorsed. Thousands waited in queues in order to sign. AVhero their menfolk were uuable to attend, tho women signed instead. Ten thousand people attended a singlo meeting at Tipperary. «

Thousands of delegates attended a trade union convention at Dublin and' passed a resolution pledging the delegates to resist conscription in every possible way, called for subscriptions to finance an anti-conscription campaign, and summoned tho workers of Ireland to abstain from work on Tuesday next as a demonstration of loyalty to tho causo of Labour in Ireland for the 'purpose of enabling: every man and woman to sign tho pledge against conscription.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.