13 APRIL 1918, Page 2

Sir George Cave, the Home Secretary, moved the second reading

of the Bill on Wednesday. In regard to Ireland, he pointed out that the Sinn Fein agitation—which his fellow-Kmisters have fostered by their apathy and neglect—compelled us to keep a large force in the country. That force would be strong enough to apply Con- scription. He implied that the Army in Ireland would be better employed in obtaining recruits—even if only five divisions were raised—than in doing nothing. That is the true answer to those who suggest that to enforce Conscription in Ireland would divert more soldiers from France than it would send there.