3 OCTOBER 1914, Page 21

THE NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS.

ITo ma EDITOR OF THR "SPECTATOR.")

think the enclosed extract from the manifesto issued by Mr. Sweetman (a prominent member of the Gaelic League and Vice-Chairman of the Council of County Councils) on September 18th, 1914, should be noted by your readers:—

"Mr. Redmond tries to capture the hearts of Gaelic Leaguers by begging of them to help to defend the Celtic races in Europe. He evidently thinks the brains of Gaelic Leaguers are as soft as he believes their hearts to be, but he had not read the article of John MacNeil, the founder of the Gaelic League as well as of the Irish Volunteers, in this week's Volunteer—there is nothing soft in that article. It rejoices Irish Nationalists to see young West Britons rushing into England's Army. Let them fight for England and lose their lives for England, but Irish Nationalists will stay at home to support their families and defend Ireland's shores. They will not forget, although Mr. Redmond evidently wishes them to forget, that ' England's difficulties are Ireland's opportunities.'"