But though we hold that stern punishment must be meted
out to the leaders—i.e., the men who misled the miserable revolters of Dublin, now a dejected band of some three thousand prisoners— we have every hope that the Government may find it possible to deal leniently with the rank-and-file. Indeed, in our opinion the Government owe them leniency becauce of their own mieta:ten policy in dealing with the Sian Fein movement. The rank-and-file may very well plead : " Why did you allow these men to mislead us Y " Vilet wo should like to see done in their case is for the Government to say in effect " You have done wrong ; you have killed innocent men ; you have tried to stab your country in the back ; but we mean to give you a chance to put yourselves right and redeem your characters. If you choose you can join the colours, and we will give you an opportunity to fight the Germans, who were intending to use you as an instrument, and who if their policy had succeeded would in the end have trampled you underfoot as they have trampled Belgium and Serbia."
