itical and religious systems are disappearing, and chaos is steadily
increasing. In Europe the nations have set out on the march to
Armageddon, and there is no staying the progress of their armaments. In
Great Britain alone the question of preparation for war is shirked on
the plea that it is one for experts, and even soldiers and sailors,
drawn into the political vortex, make light of our necessities,
believing in the hopelessness of ever convincing the people of the truth
until "a white calamity of steel and iron, the bearing of burdens and
the hot rage of insult," fall upon us. It is for this reason that we see
the extraordinary phenomenon of men denying the necessity for becoming
a nation in arms, and yet urging our Government to contract no
friendships abroad, and to interfere on behalf of every petty princedom
oppressed by a powerful neighbour, and every downtrodden subject of some
foreign power. It is these same men who wish to dissolve the Union, and
to impose obligations at home upon an inadequate army which would leave
us powerless abroad. And the longer war delays in coming, the greater
will be the danger when it comes. With the increase in armaments, this
country must undergo a proportionate sacrifice. If compulsory service
should be adopted, it must apply to Ireland as well as the United
Kingdom. But how will an independent government in Dublin view the
compulsory enrolment of the manhood of Ireland, two-thirds of which have
been taught to regard England as the national and hereditary enemy? The
Irish are, above all, a military race. Had we been able to enforce such
service within the Union, whatever temporary opposition it might have
encountered, it might ultimately have proved an indissoluble bond of
friendship.

The future is very dark, and it is all important that we should face it
with open eyes. War cannot long be delayed, and there is too little time
left to put our house in order. Even if Home Rule could be shown to be
an act of justice due to a wronged people who have proved themselves
capable of self-government, even then it could not be justified in the
present crisis abroad. But it is not so. Ulster will fight for the same
cause as did the Northern States of America, and may well show the same
self-sacrifice. It will be civil war in a country peculiarly adapted to
the movements of irregular troops, well acquainted with its features; it
will be accompanied by atrocities which will be remembered fo