EDITED· BY EOIN' MAC NEILL. .· v~1.
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·No·~
4 . . (New .Series.)
SATURDAY, . DECEMBER 26, 1914. .
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Price One Penny •
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,knowledge of agricultur~ and :fishing and right to bear -- arms is an empty . form:, . spinning and dairywork. That know- without the. right to provide' arms. ; ' . . . ledge is as necei;sal'y for us now as ever, • • - *· =-.---'"!""!iliiiii,,"p !"•· ·...,-~-------· if not more necessary than ever. Things At the same time, it is daily becom~g have happened of ~ate that have shown Whateve'r controversies may be forced us in what way those who have taken on clearer otit of the confusion, an,d mos~ on 'us, we should ne; er allow theni to ' themselves the responsibilii!-y of defence peopYe are realising. that the Irish Parlia·make us lose. sight of the main purpose. interpret that respb'nsib_ility for them- mentary. ·P.arty,, in the £ul:fi}ment of, its . lt sometimes happens, when people take- selves, an.d the Irish nation hail .learned special .mandate from · the: electorate; has ·different sides, that those on o:i;ie side are again, what it never _ sho~id · have· for- still ~.: task to_ p~rform which will require . 'inclinei:l to find ';fa.ult wit:P, everything that gotten, that it can only trust itself for its . all . its atten.t ion. Statem'.el;lts· have ,bee.Ji 1 ·ig dorie on t lie other ' siae'. That is own defence, and that if it entrusts the made a:n.d are. stiU · being made,, · in' th._e :factionism: rlo .matter. ~nether those who power 0 £ defendi~g it to others, that form of special pleading in, fayom-··_ of a ai'e guilty bf it claim to spe'a k in: the power will ' be used ag'ainst it . Along particJi1ar lin~ o{ action, tbe line of t:p.e name of a majority or a :i;ri.inority . . Faction with the necessary knowledge, we must " sb.arp curv.e ," t6 the · effect that the ' loses -~ight of the right aim ·and purpose, have the meaJJ.s of putting' it to its pro- . mand'a te has practically been fulfilled . :; an~ sets up ?e~so~s and parties instead of per use, arid that includes in our time Such statements carry no weight with. th.e po~icy and prrnciple. The ma~n obje,c t e:ffective modern arms and ammunition public, and they a.re absolutely discou-nted of t ~e ~rish Volunteer' movement fro'm ~he as w.~11 as OJ'gani.l'atio-u,,, tra.i.ning, _.:. an·d in~ and set asid..e by ~:;t l;l_9 the c, seJ,0 of st.at.e~ begmmng has been to. pu.t th~ --. I~sh ~ struction . 'l'he Iris . Volunteer pro- ments, arising out of he King"s Cou nty Nation in such a position that its Just o·ramme is to or"'anise: train instruct ele·ctioii . · We are told on the other ha.nd ·rights and liberties will not be at the =rm, and equip f~r national defence th~ ·that the main question ls- still in a critic::}l -- 'mercy of those who command.and threatep. able-bodied manhood of the Irish nation . condition-:-and this i_s the true view; of organised violence . The means proposed the case.'.,and that, for that re~ SQI). alone, ·foi; tliis end is the training and organis* * * the . pa'st meth6d of arrangi.n g for .paHiaing of Irishmen in the military defence o_f Bearing this purpose steadily in view, ' f-entary elections mlJ,st ·still rema~ri . 'i n th eir own country. wliile we try to do our own. part, we force . For mJ: _own part, I am saj;isfie.d * shou.ld ,be glad to Se?- a::gyti!ipg 9,one in that 'on this point Mr .Redmond is, i:u the * * It is desirable that this work should be . the satne' directiun ''by othet s.,'. wha-~~;ver ·· t,ight . H.· there has· been a:ri.y'_ r eason to carried out on a national scale, and in a . line they ma;y take in regard ·of questions quarrei · with· the . COJ.1<duct ,,0£ ;·~le_ctioJ],s, permanent manner .. We have to work up of ·a passing characte~· . It should be a ~hat reason was_~s strong before t~e si"g.n_gradually but without dela.y .to a .state of source of real · satisfaction to us to see a · .mg of a certai~ .. document as a,fter it. things when Irishmen wiH have all the meeting held last week in Dublin to r aise Th~ prese_n t positrnn. ~f the ~ome Ru~e . appai;atus required, and wil! .know how funds for the specific purpose of arming measure ~akes . no difference rn ~hat reto mal~e the best use of it; for the ddence Volunteers, and to see prominent citizens ~pect, ~xcept perhaps to make .it more of the country a~d the nation, and will coming forward and subscribing freely r~nperahve than ever for the Irish: Pa~ : know besides all the resources and ·advan- for that 1Jurpose. The VoJunteer move- hame~tary P~rt;y to concent~·ate a.II their tages. ~hat the country affords for its de- ment has now ,be.co:r:M a. fixed part of the energies on then- own special duty and fence, and over and above this that they National policy~ a:n d while we. cannot see comm isswn . . will have always in ope:ration a plan of eye to eye with the promoters· of this * * * joint action that will enable them to put meeting on all questions, we must gladly I n the early months of this year, it bethe co~mtry in a state qf defence at any commend 'them in this particula~~ under- came ·clear to everybody on all sides that time . . _taking and · tr·u st that i~ ,will be carried the Irish Volunteers had brought . a . de* * * ~nto full effect. W e congratµlate the cisive accession of strength to the Home· ·We need a widespread dissemination of Dublin citizens, mostly leading profes- Rule cause, and leading , o1Jponents _of ,militar y knowledge •and aptitude, ,w ith sional men, whose pounds and guineas H()me· Rule publicly ~dmitted that this · special: ·adaptation :to ..our own cireum- have ,given testimony to their earnest- "fresh .complication," as they ca1l~d it stance.s. We need to make aU this know- ness . May we interpret the proceedings in their dit)comfort, . had put a new face ·ledge and aptitude a. household matter as at the meeting as a corroboration of Mr. op the 'whole political situatibn. Then . far as possible. In ancient times every ;John Dillon's recent pronouncement, :tnost _unfortunately the Irish , P arty . man and. every youth was a potential when he pledged himself and his .. col- ·leailers were pei;-suaded that they ought soldier and s:uch knowledge as . was leagues to maintain. the rig·ht bf the, lrish . to "contr_ol and dominate" tlie Volunteer needed for the welfare of the time .was in people to bear arms for the defe.t10e 6£ . . movement and reduce it to the condition ., a large measure common property and a. the nation? Th~re is just one 'forth,,e r of a wheel in the political machine. The . part of general tradition as much as the point that -needs to be insisted on. ";I'h e Volunteer organisation had saved t~e
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