Moore,[5] who was the chief of their military staff at this time, says Mr. Hobson, saw no way of accomplishing the latter object without the assistance of the military authorities.  Other men, who had come in since Redmond’s speech, impressed on the public that without legal recognition from the Crown no Volunteer could act against the Germans in case of a landing without exposing himself and others to the penalties which Germany was inflicting in Belgium wherever the civilian population fired a shot.  As a result, negotiations were opened in August 1914 with the Irish Command, and Colonel Moore, in concert with General Paget’s staff, drew up a scheme for training the Irish and Ulster Volunteers and for using them when trained for a short term of garrison duty in Ireland.  The scheme was submitted to the Provisional Committee, who added conditions designed to lead to rejection by the War Office; and in the upshot Colonel Moore’s proposals were refused by Lord Kitchener on one side and by the Standing Committee of Volunteers on the other.

Redmond was of course aware of the failure of this scheme, and took up the matter personally.  He wrote to the Chief Secretary: 

     HOUSE OF COMMONS,

     September 9, 1914.  Private.

     MY DEAR MR. BIRRELL,

I am very anxious to put shortly before you on paper my views with reference to the Volunteer question, which we discussed with the Prime Minister to-day.  I take so strong a view on the subject that I think I must ask you to show him this letter and to urge upon him the importance of getting the War Office to move.  I know the influences that are at work in the War Office throwing cold water on the Volunteers and causing intense dissatisfaction in Ireland by unnecessary delays.

     What I suggest should be done is this:  There are two separate
     questions:  (1) Recruits; and (2) Volunteers for Home Defence.

The first absolutely depends upon the way in which the second is treated.  If the existing Volunteer organization is ignored and sneered at and made little of, recruiting in the country will not go ahead.

     On the other hand, if the Volunteers are properly treated, I
     believe that recruiting will go ahead.

Now, my suggestion is this:  that an announcement should be made immediately that the War Office are taking steps to assist in the equipment and arming and instructing of a certain number of the Irish Volunteers for Home Defence, and that this will be done without interfering in any way with the character or organization of the existing Volunteer Force.

Carrying out this programme will really not stand in the way of the preparing of the new Army.  All that is required is a few thousand rifles, and there are plenty of them in the military stores in Ireland at this moment which are not being used and will not be used, because they