Every one will admit that the Government have made grotesque
blunders in their treatment of Ireland. But if there had been the least sign of steady and loyal helpfulness on the part of Mr. Dillon and his friends, the worst of the blunders could not have been committed. Mr. Shortt, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, told the Nationalists that they were " the people really to blame." What help had the Government over received from them in their efforts to avoid Conscription by means of voluntary recruiting Y " Instead of taking Sinn Fein by the throat, you have tried to go one better." Thanks to what Mr. Dillon called "outrageous coercion," the situation in Ireland had vastly improved- Illegal drilling had practically disappeared.- Seditious speeches were much less frequent. Seditious pamphlets were still being published,_ but such things were gradually being stamped out. Enjoying sources of labour which were forbidden to the rest of the United Kingdom, Ireland was to-day " an exceedingly prosperous country." He hoped that Ireland might also become contented, but so long as Irish poli- ticians continued in their present courses they had " only themselves to blame " for the result.
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