Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 27 May 1915, Page 39

Irish News

GENERAL. The work of the Irish judges at many of the, spring quarter sessions consisted of receiving white gloves owing to the absence of crime in the districts. This was the case in Limerick City and County, at Boyle, Dundalk, and Enniscorthy. Sincere regret was occasioned in Wexford when the news was circulated of the death of Captain John Kane, of the Royal Flying Corps, who was killed while flying at Brooklands. He was the third son of the late Mr. John Kane, formerly of Saunderscourt, Co. Wexford, and a nephew of the Rev. Robert Kane, S.J. At the Waterford recruiting meeting a letter was read from the Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Sheehan, who wrote: ' The object of your gathering appeals, and appeals powerfully, to every man in the land- The war is not an English war alone or a French or a Belgian war. It is an Irish war to save our country and our people from ruin and misery.' A supplement to the London Gazette notifies that the President of the French Republic has, with the approval of the King, bestowed the decoration Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor on Major-General Sir Archibald James Murray, K.C.8., K.C.M.G., C.V.0., D. 5.0., Colonel of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and Deputy Chief of the Imperial Staff, in recognition of his distinguished service with the British Army in the field. At Enniscorthy Quarter Sessions, before Judge Barry, Mrs. Dunne, an applicant for payment of an instalment of money out of court in a workman's compensation case, stated that she had four sons serving with the colors, two of whom were at the front. His Honor complimented Mrs. Dunne on rearing such a patriotic family, and added that if every family did as well as hers, the Allies would get on much faster than they were. His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to confer the Military Cross on the undermentioned officer in recognition of his gallantry and devotion to duty whilst, serving with the Expeditionary Force— Lieut. R. Egerton, 2nd Battalion Princess Victoria's Royal Irish Fusiliers, for gallantry, ability, and useful reconnaissance work on many occasions at great personal risk. By the gallant leading of his platoon at St. Eloi he prevented the advancing enemy from taking an important position, and later for rendering very material assistance in the reconnaissance prior to our counterattack. CONFERRING OF HONORARY DEGREES. An interesting ceremony, unique in the history of the National University, Dublin, took place on March 30. It consisted in the conferring for the first time of some of the highest honorary degrees in the power of the University to grant on a number of distinguished personages who had been students of the old Catholic University, but who refrained, for conscientious reasons, from attending institutions where they could have obtained University degrees. The gentlemen honored numbered several well-known citizens and distinguished members of the different professions in the metropolis and the county. Among those on whom the degree of LL.D. (Honoris Causa) was conferred was the Very Rev. Dr. Watters, S.M., who had been for some years Rector of St. Patrick's College, Wellington. RECRUITING IN WATERFORD. On Friday, March 19, the Royal Irish Regiment Band visited Waterford. This was the commencement of a stirring recruiting week. Captain Jorgensen was in command of the military arrangements, and Mr. F. H. Le Bas, who is the War Office .adviser en advertising, took charge of the publicity arrangements. On Saturday morning Waterford people must have

rubbed their eyes in surprise. Evidently the bill-oostera Bad been at work all night, because in the early'mornmg the town was covered with most attractive recruiting posters Every day new localised posters appeared, and all the carmen had recruiting bills on their vehicles There were appeals to the men of Waterford, uomen of Waterford, clerks and shop assistants of Waterford—in fact practically all sections of the community were appealed to, and right well" did .Waterford respond. The recruiting f ever was in the air; practically it was the only subject discussed during the week Nationalists and Unionists, Protestants and Catholics, all helped. From the very first day the scheme was a success. From the published figures it appears that on Saturday and Sunday 178 men presented themselves at the recruiting office. On Monday there were 105 and Captain Jorgensen and his staff were kept very busy. On Tuesday there was a great rally at the City Mall, which was packed to its utmost capacity. The City High Sheriff presided. He was supported by the leading citizens of Waterford. On the platform were the Protestant Bishop and the Protestant Dean sitting side by side with parish priests, together with the leading Nationalists and Unionists of the district. Stirring speeches were delivered by Mr. Stephen Gwynn MP* ¥™ M x> J m^Ph7 > M - P -' Rev - W " B. O'Donneli; 11.; Rev. Father O'Quigley, 0.P., and Mr. Le Bas, who in his speech said that Waterford had shown an example that might be followed with advantage not only by other towns in Ireland, but also by many districts in England. Mr. John Redmond may well be proud of what his constituency is doing on behalf of recruiting. " ° —— —.—j NATIONALISTS AND UNIONISTS FRATERNISE. A recruiting party of Royal Irish Fusiliers, under Lieut. Parkinson-Cumine and Sec-Lieut. Kingham, started on a parade from Newtown Hamilton, County Armagh, on March 27. The parade proved a great success. It was fair day, and a large crowd had gathered. The local committee welcomed the soldiers and entertained them to luncheon in the Courthouse. A largely attended public meeting was subsequently held in the Square, Mr. F. Mackin, a prominent Nationalist, presiding, and the platform contained representatives of all political parties. The speakers ineluded Rev. Mr. Tweed, Presbyterian minister; Mr. P. J. McGarvey, Rev. Mr. Baker, Mr. Peter Rice, a native of the district, who has volunteered from Newry Post office: Lance-Corporal McCabe, Bessbrook; and Sergeant McCall, Newry, two Nationalist Volunteers home from the front wounded; Rev. Father Zimmerman, a Belgian refugee priest; Mr. Wm. Johnson, solicitor, Newry; and Lieut. Kettle. Lieut. Kettle, who was received with cheers, the audience standing and singing ' For he's a jolly good fellow,' addressed the Belgian refugees on the platform in their own language, and that they appreciated the words was evident by the applause they tendered. Continuing in English,-he said they must realise from the persistency of their appeals there was a more than unusual urgency in the present situation. Make no mistake, there was no way to peacethat peace they all so much desired—save through the gates of victory. Did they know any reason why Ireland should keep sending men to the war ? The reason was that England, Scotland, and Wales, with all their great qualities, could not get on without them. If they held back the war might still be wasting civilisation next August, and the next August, and the August ten years hence. He was talking to an American journalist only ten days ago, who had gone through Germany, and he said there was no shortage of bread in Germany, that living was practically normal. As for munitions of war he could not speak. They were not going to starve Germany out. More than lack of bread would count shortage of bayonets and men to carry them amongst the Allies. French warfare was nearly over, and the Allies were attacking. If the present armies were defeated they would have to start and create new armies, and should

the summer campaign not result favorably for us, he saw no alternative whatever except the introduction into these countries of the Continental system of conscription. He appealed to . the young men to come quickly, and to the women to make a special appeal to make it easy for the men to go. They would not win the war on statistics carefully compiled in the studios of party politicians. He himself thought the person who tried to weigh the blood- and honor of Ulster against the rest of Ireland was a traitor and a foresworn traitor to the cause of Ireland. He wanted to see orange and green united on the field on which their bayonets had flashed and taken tribute—the field of the Allies and people of Europe. IRELAND'S POSITION IN THE GREAT CONFLICT. Speaking at a representative meeting of the United Irish League in Claremorris on March 25, Mr. John Dillon, M.P., said in the course of an eloquent speech: The Home Rule Act had received the King's signature, and is enrolled on the Statute Book of the Realm, and had it not been for the outbreak of the war the Irish Parliament would now be sitting in Dublin, and an Irish Government would be installed in power. But for the moment the war had overshadowed everything, and the ordinary work of politics must cease until the issue of this war is decided. Some people are foolish enough to say that Ireland had no interest in this war, and ought to remain neutral. It was impossible to imagine greater ignorance or folly than that which causes people to express such views. As a matter of fact there is no country in the world to-day more vitally interested in the result of this war than Ireland. Neutrality to us, said Mr. Dillon, is impossible. We must be for Great Britain or against her. He could understand the position of those in Ireland and in America who can never consent to forget the past, and whose whole politics consisted in the passion of revenge and the consuming desire to pay England back for all the injury she had inflicted upon Ireland. That was a logical position, though, to his mind, a stupid, narrowminded, and un-Christian philosophy, and bound to end in ruin and disaster for this country. But those men who formed the overwhelming majority of the Irish race, not only here in Ireland, but in the United States of America and throughout the world, who have for thirty-five years supported the policy of the Irish Parliamentary Party, were bound by every consideration of honor, as well as of self-interest, to stand in with England in this hour of her desperate danger, and once they were convinced that Ireland was bound to take sides in this struggle he never had any doubt that Ireland would take a man's part and would be heard of in the forefront, of battle. That, was all lie proposed to say as to the war, except this, that he desired once more to warn them against the false reports which had been constantly spread amongst the people for the purpose of creating panic and discontent. They all remembered the conscription scare and the sources from which it sprang. He told them at the time that it was false, and spread for a malignant purpose. They saw that his statement had been vindicated. There would be no conscription. No one would be forced to join the Army who did not choose to do bo ; but those who did choose to join should be honored by their countrymen, for they would be doing their duty by Ireland and fighting for her right. Dealing with the political situation, Mr. Dillon said that the call for a revival of the National forces was not in the least degree a measure of provocation or aggression against any section of Irishmen. The land question was not settled yet, and, above all, it was not settled in the province of Connaught. That year for the first time the Congested Districts Board had got its machinery thoroughly organised, and any proposal to tie up or stop the work of the Board under any pretext would be nothing short of an outrage.