Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 17 June 1915, Page 34

Notes

Catholics and the Casualty Lists As we have mentioned elsewhere, the proportion of Catholics from Otago province whose names appear in the recently published list of those killed at the Dardanelles is large, being at least one in five of the total of those who have fallen. The proportion may be equally large, perhaps even larger, in other districts, and on this point it would be interesting to have definite and accurate information. We .would be glad, therefore, if our correspondents in all the larger centres would charge themselves with the duty of preparing and forwarding to us a statement of the Catholic names appearing in the published casualty lists for their districts. In the case of any district where, for the moment, we may happen to have no regular correspondent, the parish priest would perhaps kindly interest himself in the matter; and in all cases our correspondents will naturally look to the clergy for authoritative information. The names and addresses which reach us will be entered and preserved in a book kept specially for the purpose ; and the list will constitute a Catholic Roll of Honor for the Dominion which our people in the days to come will be able to look back upon with interest and pride. .

The Tablet and the Press : A Christchurch Appreciation The secretary of the Christchurch branch of the H.A.C.B. Society has been good enough, by direction of his branch, to send us the following cordial and very much appreciated expression of thanks: ' Dear Sir, —This branch of the Hibernian Society, at its last meeting held on the 7th ult., placed on record its high appreciation of your very able editorial, "Ireland and the War." It was unanimously decided that you should receive at my hands as secretary the society's heartfelt thanks for the invaluable service rendered to our Catholic Irish people by your lucid and militant leader. As a reply to the Christchurch Press on this matter it was certainly a masterpiece, and has, no doubt, made the editor of that anti-Irish production feel very small at having made such a mutilated, onesided report and comment on Ireland's incomparable leader and statesman, Mr. John Redmond. I may tell you, sir, on the very best authority, that, in the Public Library in Christchurch the Tablet is very widely read indeed by the general. public, and its sphere of influence therefore extends over a greater area, than most people imagine. Accept, then, this expression of the gratitude of the members of ' this society for your untiring and ever successful efforts on behalf of Holy Church and Ireland, and wishing you many, years of health and vigor so that your able pen may combat the prejudices that we have thrown . broadcast at. v us, and uphold the cause of truth and justice. \>.|Jp ;y i^ : .; ! --■ •■ "> • -, : ; ;-,.,. v . '-i-- beg to remain, Sir, .::j. - " ■.: „:-•.•-'-''» : •^^ i ; : '• Faithfully yours,'.'■• v : ':•.■■•"' 'M. f Grimes, Secretary. ' * 'June 117 \~--y, --->-'

The Allies and Greece

f : ‘■'lt' is evident that the Allies have an ’even stiffer proposition at the Dardanelles than they had originally anticipated, and’’ one of the circumstances which " has added to their difficulties—and. which they r could not , reasonably have calculated; upon—is pointed out by the London Statesman. '*\ It is due ; to the unexpected and unforeseen resignation T of M. Yenizelos, the Greek Premier. 1 ‘ How and why . was this quasi-inevitable failure in the Dardanelles courted and incurred V asks the Statesman'. The explanation seems to lurk in the sudden reversal of Greek policy, following the downfall of M. Yenizelos. M. Venizelos had made arrangements for Greece to co-operate with the Allies. They were to have the aid of a division of Greek troops, and (still more important) could use all the Greek islands and harbors as bases. Relying on this, they started . their operation, and then at the critical moment the Greek Premier was unable to carry out his part of the bargain. King Constantine and his German Queen and Germanophile officers dealt the Allies one of -the shrewdest blows possible. Now men on the spot talk of 250,000 troops being necessary. . . The bases to which the Allies must apparently be reduced are Alexandria and Cyprus, which are about equidistant from the Dardanelles, and each over two days’ steaming for transports.’ It is satisfactory to note that M. Venizelos has just Been returned to power by a large majority, and there is every prospect that the drawback referred to by the Statesman will now be remedied.

Irish Loyalty Under this heading the following apt and timely letter, from the pen of Mr. J. M. Twomcy, of Temuka, appears in the Cnristchurch Press of June 14 : —' Sir, — In your issue of to-day you say: "To Germany the determination of the Nationalists to make trouble will appear proof that those pan-Germans were right who . counted as one of their assets in a war with England on the disloyalty of Irish politicians." Now, what has "the disloyalty of the Irish politicians" consisted in? They objected to the appointment % of Mr. Campbell. They have not objected to the appointment of Sir Edward Carson. He fought his battle in open daylight, and the Irish respected an open foe. Sir Edward Carson was once a Home Ruler, but for some reason he turned renegade. Still the Irish raised no objection to him, but they objected to Mr. Campbell, and so did a large number of the English members of the House of Commons. This is proof that Mr. Campbell was an objectionable person. We have seen in this Dominion objections raised to certain appointments, for certain reasons, and without a doubt there were good reasons for objecting to Mr. Campbell. ; You cannot say that the objection arose because some Irish member wanted the appointment for himself. For over forty years no Irish Nationalists sought, any appointment, and they do not desire it. You also abuse the Liberals, but who handed" over to Germany Heligoland and Samoa? The Conservative Government of England, at the beginning of the South African war, and I think you will admit greater blunders could not have been perpetrated. In my last letter to you I said that 150,000 Nationalists were fighting at the front. From later information I find that the number is a quarter of a million, and that the only dead wall in Ireland which is not placarded with recruiting posters is the anti-Irish Trinity College, Dublin. I find that 850 volunteers enlisted in Dublin in one day. Of course you sneeringly say the Nationalists claim these as Nationalists. What else could they be? You also sneered at the 20,000 who paraded in Dublin before John Redmond, but the English press does not sneer at them. It says, on the contrary, that owing to the loyalty and enthusiasm exhibited by these volunteers no Conservative would ever again oppose Home Rule. Read what Lord St. Davids said in the House of Lords. He said there were "men who never did a day's work for themselves or anyone else since they were born. i"Their soils were still ; hanging round the theatres and music halls, and while this was so it was no use talking conscription" to working men." Why don't these go to the front like the quarter of a million ;Irish ? Why are not the loafers and drunkards of

England s making - bullets for the " Irish to fire't If - the strikes^ and labor ' troubles '-«fof < : England happened in Ireland, what , a God-send they \ would be '-. to you, but they have not, thank God* : - Ireland is not giving the slightest trouble to England; she -is s absolutely loyal, and no German can regard : her as ari asset in the war.-Yours, etc., ■> •'; \ ■ ' , 'J. M. TwOMEY. • A Temuka, June 11, 1915. < ' ; . .-.:•' N.B.—See now. Mr. Campbell is made an': English Judge, and Mr. Gordon, M.P. for the Orangerconstituency of Derry, is made Attorney-General '» for Ireland, and what you call the treason and disloyalty of Nationalists has vanished into thin air. > Nationalists rejected Mr. Campbell, of Catholic Dublin : they accept Mr. Gordon, of Orange Derry. There must be a reason ■- for J.M.T.' ■ i-?jir>..... ■■ . u-k'^;:-.' ■ " ? '*"'. -v. -Mi \