IRELAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1918, Page 6

IRELAND.

THE NEW SCHEME. .VERY LITTLE ENTHUSIASM. London, June 5. The Dublin correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that Lord French's tact in framing the proclamation is praised and the spirit of reconciliation and goodwill is generally approved Some Unionists criticise the scheme on the ground that it errs on the side of generosity. There are over 400,000 unmarried males of military age, of whom 250,000 are engaged in agriculture, so it is obvious they can provide 50,000 recuits readily. Mr Dillon, interviewed, said: "The only thing I can say at present is that I it is a very unfortunate situation for Ireland, mainly as the result of the Government's blunders and mismanagement. Mischief-makers have taken full advantage of the blunders, but their , efforts would be fruitless if the Governftient acted with sympathy. I cannot see any marked sign of change in the mind of the Government, whose appeals are entirely blind to the fact that you cannot secure the support of the people unless you convince them that you respect and trust them The Irish can never be dragooned and bullied into loyal friendship with England. "The Government undoubtedly did a wise thing in abandoning the attempt to enforce conscription. The success of Lord French's appeal depends entirely upon the extent to which the Government reverses its Irish policy." The Daily Telegraph states that the Catholic clergy say the success of Lord French's scheme depends on the Govern-' ment giving Ireland a generous measure of Home Rule. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. The Morning Post denounces the bribe to Sinn Feiners, and asks if the offer is retrospective and where the land is to be got. It also points out that if retrospective there are already 50,000 Ulstermen who may be claimants. In the debate on the third reading of the Soldiers' Land Settlement Bill in the House of Commons, Sir Hamar Greenwood sharply criticised the discrimination in favor of Irishmen shown in Lord French's proclamation. Sir Hamar Greenwood said that nothing was more «ure to cause disorder in the army than {Ms coaxing of Irishmen to do their duty. We were treating British soldiers and sailors worse than the Irish.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.