The Ulster Unionist Council published, on Friday of last week,
a full and convincing reply to the preposterous manifesto recently sent to President Wilson by the Dublin Mansion House Conference on the subject of Compulsory Military Service in Ireland. We deal elsewhere with this able and opportune document. Mr. T. P. O'Connor, " at the request of Mr. Dillon," has published a singularly inept reply to the Ulster Memorial, which he ascribes to " hypo- critical unctuousness." For the rest, Mr. O'Connor finds " the formidable figure of Sir Edward Carson blocking every avenue leading to peace," and holds him responsible for precipitating the world war. Mr. Dillon's telegraphic brief to Mr. O'Connor seems to have been " Avoid Conscription issue ; slang Carson." Our readers might study all these documents if they would enjoy a singular commentary on the legend that Ulster Unionists are wild and ungovernable fanatics. The contrast between the sedate force of the Ulster argument and the hollow violence of the Nationalist and Sinn Fein inspiration is very remarkable. If President Wilson is as good a literary critic as we believe him to be, he will be much impressed, but not as the Dublin Mansion House Conference wishes.
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