BRITAIN'S MAN POWER

Taihape Daily Times, 23 April 1918, Page 5

BRITAIN'S MAN POWER

RECRUITING RUSH IN IRELAND. ■,.-'/ ( LONDON, April 21. The recruiting rush continues in Ireland, especially in Ulster, but it exsouth and south-west. The conviction is growing that the application of conscription will rapidly terminate peacefully. The Government is determined to brook no opposition after the passage of Home Rule. There is an optimistic belief in London that the bishops and priests have taken charge ~o£ the anti-conscription movement in 'order .to prevent extreme measures. They counsel passive resistance and the exhaustion of every legal means, but no rebellion. The police removed all 'arms and ammunition, including weapons left for repairs from Irish gunsmiths' shops. Masses of intercession have "Seen celebrated to avert conscription. IRISH BISHOPS. ACCUSED OF WANTING GERMAN TRIUMPH. LONDON, April 21. The "Observer" severely criticises the action of the Irish bishops, and accuses some of desiring a German triumph as a judgment on the French Republic's anti-clerical legislation. The "Observer" adds that the present attitude of Ireland provokes despair on both sides of the Atlantic of the Irish question and its perversities. THE CONSCRIPTION DEADLOCK. A POSSIBLE WAY OUT. Received 9.5 a.m. , ~ LONDON, April 22. It is expected the Government will introduce the Home Rule Bill at the end of next week, and will be pressed on with the utmost urgency. The opinion grows that a way out of the impasse will possibly be found by permitting the Dublin Parliament to initiate methods most acceptable •to the Iri3h people for-increasing tl|e '' army ;-without conceding -authority over the army arid navy!' ! •'■ j PLEDGE TO RESIST • CONECRIP- ■ TiOiNi'-" - : '-" i - }D I - TAKEN, BY 2THOUSANDS':'' -■ j .<■ Received 10.5 a.ni; ' ' ' ; : LONDON, April 22.; Congregations in " Galway, headed by ' the police, marched to Eyre Square and took the oath. ' " : Bishop O'Dea said conscription was likely to work a grave physical menace to the healthy remnant of'the Irish race. He blessed resistance, by every means within God's law.'' Bishops everywhere urge coolness and "Respect for the law,- and no yioi i ldn 'ce'-'' At Tipperary ten thousand took'the pledge after'Mass, with .'uplifted hands. " " Archbishop Cassell, preaching at Thurles, said before paying the blood tax Ireland demanded the right to impose its own taxation. Lord Dunraven, in a letter to newspapers, protests that Ireland is selfish beyond expression, and if she persists will grievously suffer in the loss of self-respect and forfeit the esteem of all nations. EXTRAORDINARY SCENES.

LONDON, April 21. Extraordinary scenes arc beiny witnessed in Roman Catholic Ireland. In practically every church the priest celebrated intercession masses that the people might bo delivered from conscription. Celebrants outside the churches administered a pledge against conscription. Bishop Coholan, administering the pledge outside Cork Cathedral, advised Sinn Feincrs to be on guard against unauthorised orders. The Bishop of Ross administered the pledge to 3000 at a public meeting at Shibbereon. He'said if the people of Ireland were calm, cool, and determined, the conscription order would never be made. Elsewhere, during masses, the priests announced from the altars that the j people must assemble in certain halls and schoolrooms and sign a covenant against conscription which the bishops . bad drawn up on Friday at Maynooth and which the political leaders had endorsed. Thousands waited in queues in order to sign. Whree their menfolk were unable to attend, women signed in-" stead. Te>n thousand attended a single meeting in Tipperary. A thousand deelgates attended a. trade union convention at Dublin and passed a resolution pledging, the delegates against conscription . in every possible way; calling for subscriptions to finance the anti-conscription campaign; and summonig the workers to abstain from work on Tuesday next as a demonstration of loyalty to the cause of labour in Ireland and for thr purpose of enabling every man and

woman to sign the pledge against conscription. ; Mr J)evlin, M.P., in a speech at Belfast, advised the Irish to refuse to register militarily, to spit on tribunals and to refuse to go. •