It remains to be seen whether the Government will consist-
ently maintain their new policy, or whether, as unfortunately in so many other instances, they will dodge back either under threats from the Irish extremists or in obedience to pressure by the sentimental supporters of the Sinn Feiners in this country. An intermediate act or incident may be to introduce some extreme form of Home Rule which will, in the phraseology of the old prescribers, act as a "corrigens " to the vigorous main- tenance of law and order, and so increase the present dire con- fusion. We may suggest a test of the Government's sincerity in the matter of law and order. If that policy is to produce results worth having, it must be applied to the highly placed priests or, if necessary, Bishops of the Roman Church as well as to the humbler parts of the population. If the Government are foolish enough to allow themselves to be defied by the leaders of the Roman Church, they are only preparing fresh trouble for themselves and the nation.
