It was an ominous sign that in his few remarks
about Conscription Mr. Shortt talked only of trying to avoid it. He appealed for the help of the Nationalists to make voluntary recruiting a success is order that Conscription might never be necessary. He did not in any definite words refer to Conscription as the only possible and thednevitable alternative to the failure of voluntary recruiting. After the explicit pledges of a few months ago:a vague promise to introduce Conscription later would. -have seemed poor and weak, but not even this kind of promise was forthcoming. We all know that the Army and every industry in the country are being starved for. men. Our position as the chief shipowners of the world is being jeopardized. The shipbuilding yards are crying out for labour. Yet some five hundred thousand strong young Irishmen are -being allowed to remain comfortably at home just as though they were not citizens of the United Kingdom. •
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