KITCHENER AND CARSON.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 138, 13 February 1915, Page 2

KITCHENER AND CARSON.

ULSTER LEADER STRIKES TROUBLE. An Australian paper publishes an interesting item of news, which, strange to say, did not find a place in the great Australian dailies, and explains why Ireland has been given a wide berth by anti-Home Ruler Sir E. Carson since the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. Immediately following on his app >ntmeut to the Army Council, Kircheii-.T, as Director of Martial Law. requested that certain prominent public men, Carson rmongth them, shot Id be called before the Council with a view to indueng them to follow a certain line of action. Of those invited to attend before the Council on a specified day, Carson was the only one who had the temerity to ignore the invitation, with the consequence that when he arrived at his office the following morning he found an armed guard waiting to conduct him before Great Britain'.; War Lord. The busnesslikc attitude of his

compulsory escort induced (.'arson to promptly reconsider his decision not to attend before the Army Council, and in a few minutes he was ushered into the presence of Lord Kitchener and the other members of the Council. Kitchener, who is a man of few words, brusquely informed Corson that the Council had arrived at the conclusion that it would be in the best interests of he Empire if "lie (Carson) would refrain from visiting b.vdand during the continuance of the war in Europe, and invited him to give (lie Council an undertaking to that effect. Carson treated as preposterous the idea that he, Sir Edward Carson, should, be forbidden to visit Ireland, and told Kitchener that, Army Couneil or m~ Army Council, it was his intention to visit Ireland the following week in older to receive the freedom of the city of Belfast, which the gratefn: burghers had decided to confer on him. Kitchener reminded him that he, Kitchener, was sole director of martial lav. in Great Britain, and asked Carson ir he was aware of the penalty he woifo incur if he attempted to visit Ireland in defiance of the Army Council's order. Carson incpiired the nature, of the penalty, and was told that if he attempted to visit Ireland he would be instantly shot. Then Carson playel hi's rrump card. Laughing satirically, ho told Kitchener that if he searched tne army he would not find r firing squad to shoot him—Carson. But the laugh died away in his throat as Kitchener rose, and, towering over him, said in even tones: "Then, if 1 cannot get a firing squad to shoot yem, move one foot towards Ireland and I'll shoot you myself! " Carson has not yet received the freedom of the city of Belfast, nor lias he made any attempt to visit Ireland s.!ne<his memoral|e interview with Lord Kitchener.