The proposed conference resolved itself—­to Redmond’s indignation—­into a discussion of Redmond’s memorandum between the Adjutant-General and Sir Lawrence Parsons.  Only in September, when at Lord Wimborne’s instance he interviewed Lord Kitchener, did he have the opportunity of raising the matter by direct speech.  Lord Kitchener then declared himself willing to admit that on the question whether enlistment for Home Defence would promote or retard recruiting, Redmond’s judgment was probably more valuable than his own, and he promised to review the question of Home Defence again in the light of it.  But of this promise nothing came.

Meantime Redmond was being warned that the Volunteer organization as it stood had exhausted its usefulness; its enthusiasm was gone—­a natural result of having no purpose.  A new opening seemed to be created by the Bill which Lord Lincolnshire introduced to recognize a Volunteer Force in Great Britain which should perform military duties under the War Office control.  Redmond hoped to see this carried with an extension of it to Ireland, and this was the practical proposal with which he concluded his speech when, on November 2nd, for the first time in that year, he raised in debate the questions to which so much of his time and thought had been given.

How was the Irish recruiting problem to be dealt with?  He declared himself absolutely against compulsion, to impose which would be “a folly and a crime” unless the country was “practically unanimous in favour of it.”  The voluntary system had never had fair play—­at all events in Ireland.

“It is a fact, which has its origin in history, and which I need not refer to more closely—­it is a fact that in the past recruiting for the British Army was not popular with the mass of the Irish people.  But when the war broke out, my colleagues and I, quite regardless, let me say, of the political risks which stared us in the face, instantly made an appeal to those whom we represented in Ireland, and told them that this was Ireland’s war as well as England’s war, that it was a just war, and that the recent attitude of Great Britain to Ireland had thrown upon us a great, grave duty of honour to the British Empire.  We then went back from this country, and we went all through Ireland.  I myself, within the space of about a month after that, made speeches at great public meetings in every one of the four provinces of Ireland.  We set ourselves to the task of creating in Ireland—­creating, mind you—­an atmosphere favourable to recruiting, and of creating a sentiment in Ireland favourable to recruiting.  I say most solemnly, that in that task we were absolutely entitled to the sympathy and the assistance of the Government and the War Office.  I am sorry to say we got neither.”

He disclaimed all imputation upon the Prime Minister or the Under-Secretary, Mr. Tennant—­exceptions which pointed the reference to Lord Kitchener.