Mr. Ian Malcolm contributes a disquieting letter on the state
of Ireland to Tuesday's Times. After noting how Mr. Birrell's statements in Parliament as to the satisfactory con- dition of the country were followed at the end of August by the proclamation of six Irish counties, he proceeds to give extracts from the holiday speeches of Mr. Ginnell, M.P., the anther, or at any rate the chief instigator, of the cattle- driving policy. The features of this campaign have been the delivery of violent speeches before non-political assemblies, the introduction of the anti-ranching and cattle-driving agitation into Meath, and the continued implication of the Government in the agitation in order to create disturbance in Ireland. Six weeks ago Mr. Ginnell declared that be knew it as an absolute fact that there was at least one member of the Cabinet who said that Irishmen who did not strike a death- blow at landlordism and ranching were not worth their salt, and that the value of the Bill (for the compulsory distribution of untenanted lands) of next year would depend upon the action of Irishmen themselves in Ireland. This statement remains uncontradicted. It will be interesting to see whether Mr. Ginnell, who is the spokesman of the United Irish League deputation which is coming over to enlighten Great Britain on Irish affairs, will repeat it before English audiences.
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