BY EOIN MAC NEILL.
EDITED Vol. 2.
PRICE ONE PENNY.
SATURDAY, F.EBRUARY 26th, 1916.
No. 64 (New Se1ries).
Three years ago, if any British Government had proposed for any purpose in tne world to THE FALL OF ERZERUM. impose Eight Millions additional annual taxation on Ireland, there would not have been a Unionist in the whole country or a Unionist When the Grand ·.Duke 'Nicholas was transorgan but would have denounced the proposal as - ferred from Europe to the Caucasus there were absolutely ruinous to this country. Now the ·not · wanting people ·who considered the change additional Eight Millions has already been im- a slur on his generalship. . He has given such posed, ana there is only one Nationalist M .P. 'to people an effective answer. The · well-planned oppose it. The rest think to get off, leaders in- and executed concentration ·of Russian forces, cluded, by saying nothing. These dumb dogs resulting in the fall of Erzerum, _has sufficiently that do not bark will be as guilty of the conse- proved the Russian leader's capacity. And this quences as the. British Government, and more . · is so despite the fact that such a stroke was in .sary. guilty, for they' are trustees for IrelaAd. · 'fhe the power of the Russians, any time they elected consequences will not be felt all at once~and to make it. · · that is what our fraudulent trustees are countIt. .was always in their power, because they ing on . They need not count on it. 'l'he conse- c<mld. always conce)ltrate superior forces there, quences will be an enormous further reduction in by reason ·of their vastly superior communicathe Irish population, a gradual tightening of the tions in this theatre of . war. Assu.m ing that Which are we to believe-the Galway declara- cord round the throat of Ireland, penury and Tiflis. was the chief Russian base, they had availtion that we have ·i:iot yet even established our misery slowly· invading thousands of Irish homes, able to that ·point three lines of communication: despair and wretchedne~s and insanity, every claim to National self-government, or the improvement wrecked, every hope of economic (1) by sea to Poti and Batum and thence by rail; (2) by the great military road through the Dariel Manifesto declaration that England's Democracy revival blasted-by the action and inaction of a Pass from Vladicaucas to Tifli:s; (3) by the railhas <>ranted our just demand? The two state- ·party which has now sunk into the position of .a way round the eastern flank of the Caucasus, ments cafinot both be true, and it would not be dependent" faction. following the shore of the Caspian by Derbend * * * and Baku. Southward from Tiflis the railway is honest towards the people of Ireland to wrap up Not they alone will be guilty . There are hun- prolonged to Kars, about eighty miles from these contradictory statements in rags of dreds of public men in Ireland who have been Erzerum. To oppose to this the Turks .had only rhetoric, so ·that black might pass for white. . ·roped into this position of. faction, mEJ.!l whose . one line-by r ail from Brussa by Eskisher.as far as Angora, and from there by Swas and ·Erzigan, Either we have secured Home Rule or we have duty it is to warn and ward the p_u blic against over two hundred miles by none too good a road. not. If we h_a.:e it, let us see it. If_ \rn have the economic ruin that threatens us. The misery not got it yet, then we have ~~t no~hmg but a of innumerable homes will ·be on the heads of Clearly the Turks could never-assuming equal ruinous burden of taxes, wnich impos,es _no those men if they ·continue in this course of fac- forces ·t o begin with-competE! with the Russians oblio-ation on us whatsoever, except the obligation tion. Why have they not the · honesty and the once the latter were determined to concentrate of rroing all in ow· power to avert ths:i natio_nal manliness to face the simple question-Can he- a n~merically superior -force. Moreover, the r.uin. · It may be said we have got a firm pTom1se. land bear the addition'"of millions of taxation better quality of the Rus's ian lines enabled them That is not: true. The defunct Liberal Govern- already imposed? We have seen' taunts about l;o bring up heavy siege-guns to attack the forts. As far as we can judge the bulk of the Turkish ment with the full consent of the British skulking behina the powei· of Great Britain. The Dem~cracy, has given a firm promise to the people will soon understand who are the skulks. forces, including the garriso:µ of Erzerum, have opponents of Home Rule that they will have tl;i.e The time is fast coming whei1 even the Pretence made good their escape. Pi·esumably ·they will fullest opportunity of "amending" the h~n~-tip . of the Realm Act ' will not protect the preachers seek to re-form at Erzigan, some eighty or so miles t.o the west on the Western Euphrates. A Act even if they amend it ·so as to make it use- of patient hum_bug. very vigorous pursuit by large forces wi~i scarcely less' and unacceptable. But supposing we had 11 * * * be pos;;ible, as the roads fr9m Erzerum are not firm promise, what then? It is only fair deal-ing On Februa~·y i7th Mr. Trevelyan, M.P., asked as good as those on which the earlier Russian to pay promises with promises. the Prime Minister in Parliament ·whether, when advance was made . * * the Goverp.ment passed the Defence of the Realm · South of Erzerum the Russians ·have t aken In this case no payment is due. We have Act, they contemplated that the · new law would Mush- and Akhlat, west of Lake :Van, thus getting a pretty secure footing in all the country claimed Sljllf-government not as a favour but as suspend the Habeas Corpus· Act; and whether; a right. Our demand for self-government was now that the Law Com:ts have interpreted the north of the Armenian Taurus Mountains. It not a huxtering bargain, it was a suit for jus- Act as depriving British· citizens of this safe- would, however, be a mistake to suppose that guard for personal libertJ; the Govel'nment will · this cuts off any Tw·kish forces around Van, tice. To demand payment for justice is to renew · take steps ·t o restore to British Citizens their although the lake is no longer of any service to injustice . We are told that in our long-main- legal security against the exercise of arbitrary . the . latter. The Van forces communicate with tained suit for justice, the award was at last power by the Executive~ Sir \'1 Hliam Byles the centre of the Ottoman Empire by Diarbekr and the Tigris valley south of t)le Armenian given in our favour wh_en the Home Rule Bill supplE!mented ahd developed the question. Mr. Asquith replied : "The Regulation in question Taurus. range, across which there aTe no good was signed by King George. K_ing George holds applies only to British subjects of hostile origin roads. The Armenian Taurus is about a hundred his position subject to the provisions of and associations ." This explains the arbitrary . m1!es south of Erzerum, and is impassable for Magna Charta, which lays down that " justice imprisonment of Irishmen- they belong to the large forces . Consequently any direct Russian shall not be denied or sold or delayed." The Irish Enemy. Was it the notice of this question advance towards Baghdad in stro_ng force is Home Rule Act is now both delayed and held up that forced Dublin Castle to produce a · charge -not possible.- Any weak force ~o uld scarc.ely be for purchase, and the price that is placed upon against Mr. MacSwiney, of Cork, after they had able to cope with the irregular bands of warlike it is a price of blood. Looked at honestly, such held him in jail for weeks without any charge? Kurds, whose main territory is the region bea transaction is an infamous transaction cin the On second thoughts, too, the Castle has released tween Erzerum and Diarbekr. part of those who force it on Mr. Redmond. Mr. lVIr. MacCabe, of Tubbercurry, having first deSimilarly any Russian advance westward past Asquith was conscious of the vile nature of such cided to hold him in jail till the next Commis.: Erzingan is not likely. The Turkish army i_s rea compact when, during· his last visit to Ireland, sion after his acquittal by a jury. We wonder forming there, and covers its supplies and reinhe proclaimed that what he asked from Ireland will the ·cc Party " pass another secret resolu- forcements, while the Ru·ssians would no longer was "the .free gift of a free people." When the tion protesting against imprisonment by trick of have tlieir own excellent communications. Much war and its fever are things of the past, the " the loop under the Pretence of the Realm Act? the likeliest course for the Grand Duke is to world will understand the vile character of the push out a strong flank-guard towards Erzingan * * and turn southwards across the Soghanli Dagh statesmanship that· affixed a price to the fulfilMi·. Ola,ud Chevasse now understands what a to Trebizond. In an attack on Trebizond · he ment of a treaty already conceded as a measure of justice . Mr. Birrell, whose name is on the serious matter it is to " make a fool of Constable would have th e _co-operation of the Black Sea Fleet; Trebizond is an important port; and the back of that treaty, lectures Irishm·e n about Appieby and the Pretence of the Realm Act." We are back to the times when a man could be roads thither from Erzerum are very good for loyalty, but he and the English Viceroy ·stood on the platform at G:alway, where Mr. Redmond was jailed for " a humbugging sort of a smile " in so .mountainous a region. The result of a Russian advance on Trebizond is impossible to forecompelled to say .. that our claim to the Home · the presence of the august Applebys- but not for long. cast . There is no means of estimating whether Rule. Act would he null and void unless we first ": * the Grand Duke has sufficient troops to press paid the price-and Birrell is an honourable After a recruiting meeting recently, where the . that attack vigorously and at the same time hold . man, so are they all, all honourable men. * . d(lsire of the Germans to . occupy farms in the off any Turkish attempt to recapture Erzerum. * * Presumably any Turkish troops -that can oe The Home Rule :Act has been postponed till West of Ireland was a trump card, one of the sparea from Gallipoli or Syria will be sent to the orators went about among the peqple to find out St. P atrick's Day. Unles.s it is further postCaucasus; and it will not be possible to send too the_ impression produced. Be spoke to a local poned by the Government, it ought to have effect farmer about the horrors and dangers of the war, · many Russian troops from Europe £o1· fear of ·from that day. That is a · point about which and drew the reply, "It's the blessing of God ·weakening the armies in the main theatre of war. there will not be much said to the electors i:>y the we are a neutral co_u_ntry, ap.yhow." It is treason for Irishmen to ~ band of paid Members of Parliament who are * * * buy the Foreign A,rticl:e and A ·stranger was e)s::ploring the his toi·ic sit e of now electioneering in Ireland. They will talk . neglect Irish Industries. . the Battle of Oulart the other day. He' asked a about conventions· and party unity, and .so forth, LOUCHLIN'S IRISH OUTFITTINC just as if there was no Home Rule Act and no local farmer what the people thought nowadays prospect of Home Rule, and as if the prospect about Ninety-Eight. " Qh, most of them are all ·is better ' than the Foreign Shirts, Hosiery, · before the Irish electors was to hold Conventions· right-thay are still for Ireland." "And what Gloves, Braces, H ats, Caps, Boots, etc., · etc. · . . F<!ir Priqes. and support a united party " per omnia saecula about the others?-" '.' Oh, sure enough, they're ALL IRISH. IRISH OUTFITTING HEADQUARTERS, saeculonim " -'and to pay any taxes' the united for Redmond." 19 Parliament Street, DUB.LIN. Eorn l\iAc NEILL . party joins in imposing.
TO OUR READERS.
Owing to the increasing cost of paper the !RISH VOLUNTEER appears in a new form this week. Although t_he paper Will be smaller for the present it will contain all o_u r usual articles and there will be no decrease in either the quantity or quality of our. literary matter. .On accoun! of the protracted nature of the fight for small nation'.alities, christiani ty, civilisation, etc!, economies ·9f this kind have become· neces·
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