The necessary papers for the introduction of Conscription in Ireland
have been laid on the table of the House of Commons. The familiar cross-currents of rumour as to whether the Government will or will not reach the actual point of imposing Conscription continue. Perhaps the safest way to sum up the situation is to say that the Government firmly intend to introduce Conscription, and will remain in this intention till the necessity of imposing Con- scription has departed. It might have been thought that the appal- ling crime of the sinking of the Leinster ' would have had some effect on the voluntary recruiting figures in Ireland, but we have not been able to discover that anything of the kind has happened. On the contrary, the Nationalises and Sinn Feiners have seized the opportunity to indicate the existence of a new Irish grievance. This is that passenger vessels in the Irish seas are not escorted or adequately protected.
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