13 MAY 1916, Page 2

In the House of Commons on Tuesday the Service Bill

was in Committee, and Sir John Lonsdale moved to make it apply to Ireland. His appeal. was made .pointedly and personally to Mr. Redmond. Mr. Asquith objected that the compulsion of Ireland, not being a matter of agreement, was inexpedient and impracticable. The attempt to apply it would delay the

Moreover, the Government were investigating the whole question of bearing arms in Ireland, and in the circumstances he asked Sir John Lonsdale to withdraw his amendment. Sir Edward Carson assumed that the Government were acting on the advice of Mr. Redmond. Ho regretted that Ireland was governed indirectly by men who had no official responsibility. At the same time, if Mr. Redmond declared that compulsion was impossible, so must it be.