We desire to make a particular appeal to Unionists to
do one thing before the adjournment of Parliament ; that is, to insist that the Government shall give a clear and definite pledge that if voluntary recruiting breaks down in Ireland, and the wholly-inade- quate fifty thousand men asked for are not obtained by.September 1st, the original pledge about the application of Conscription shall be kept. Even if the fifty thousand men should be obtained, they would be only a tenth part of the proper contribution of Ireland. Nothing less could be accepted with any show of decency or reason even as a stopgap. If the Unionists, or those Unionists who still wish to retain their political name, would make this demand upon the Government, it would be quite impossible for the Government with any logic to refuse it. For it will be remembered that the Govern- ment have over and over again protested that it is most unfair to say that they have abandoned Conscription for Ireland. Let the Unionists in the House of Commons therefore be fair to the Government. Let them take them at their word.
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