|
|
|
| The Hay Plan & Conscription In Ireland During WW1 |
|
| 2. Winston Churchill's View |
Page
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
|
|
Winston Churchill, however, had a different view on Irish conscription when he said, 'I have not met not one soldier in France who does not think we shall get good fighting material from Ireland. I think the decision of the War cabinet is a battlefield decision, but a wise one'. 7 Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig agreed with Churchill's views. Haig had been the Commander-in-Chief of Allied forces in France since 1916 after taking over command from Lord French, who would later play an important role in Ireland. 8 One week later, on 6 April, the final report on the Irish Convention had been released. One day earlier, on 5 April, Ireland's Chief Secretary offered the government a chance to introduce Irish conscription only if Home Rule had been passed into law. 9 The Cork Examiner on the same day described the proposal as 'so utterly fantastic that it may be described as stupidly absurd'. 10 On 8 April, the Cork Examiner's editorial believed that the government's plans to introduce military conscription for Ireland 'as far as may be learned, appear yet to definite shape'. 11 The following day, the Irish Independent editorial headline 'The Conscription Threat' stated: The Irish people are acting with their eyes open. They will consent to no bargaining with or trucking to, a Prime Minister who, to borrow the words of a Party organ, has shown 'a tendency towards trickery in all situations of political difficulty'. 12
|
| Author : Dave Hennessy Published Online : 04 December 2004 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Select a period in Waterford history and read articles relating to that era. You can also browse articles by clicking on the graphical timeline.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
