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The Gazette
ol
the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
016-
would be better to adjourn it until after the
War, as there would be no legislation of the
kind in the meantime. There was a division
on the Council in reference to the matter, and
let it be adjourned until such time as there
would be a probability of legislation.
Mr.
JAMES BRADY :
I agree with
the
suggestion.
The matter was allowed to stand over for
future consideration.
Mr. A. LANE JOYNT in accordance with
notice, moved that :—
" The Incorporated Law Society of Ireland
" desire to record their deep appreciation of
" the patriotic action of those members of the
" Solicitors' profession and of those Appren-
" tices and assistants to Solicitors who have
" joined His Majesty's forces up to this date.
" And the Society are of opinion that it is now
" the duty of all Solicitors and their Appren-
" tices to further Lord Derby's Scheme of
" recruiting by all means in their power ;
and
" that the members of the profession, who, by
" reason of age or unfitness are unable to serve
" their country, should loyally unite in pre-
" serving for those members who have joined
" the services or joined the Army under the
" Scheme, their business and appointments
" during such service, so that on their return
" they will not be prejudiced by having in the
'' hour of their country's need done their duty."
He said that after the tribute which the
President and the Vice-President had paid to
the men who had loyally gone out to fight
their battles in Gallipoli and elsewhere, it did
not require any words of his to bring home to
their minds the noble way in which they had
done their duty. He was rather loath to join
the first part of the motion with the latter
part, but it suggested itself to him that if he
did not he would be in some way not recog
nizing
the noble way
in
which mem
bers of
the
profession went
out—some
of
them personal friends of his own, but
all
of
them honoured and true
friends
.—and
lost
their
lives. Consequently,
he
included this appreciation in the resolution.
He had also joined in the resolution a slight
tribute to the assistants and law clerks who had
joined the colours, as well as to the Solicitors
who were serving their King and Country, and
who had left their homes, and, in many cases,
valuable practices. The Apprentices, perhaps,
were really the best of the lot, but the law
clerk who had gone was just as deserving of
their tribute as any man great or small. The
second part of the resolution dealt with the
duty of the Solicitors' profession to the country
and the Empire, and he thought that might be
divided into the duty of the Solicitors above
military age, and those who were not.
It was
the duty of every man of military age at present
to see that every man who was suitable and
fit should go and fight this country's battles
for this war is one in which Ireland was as
much engaged as any other country in Europe.
People who wanted to hear a recruiting speech
had only to read the words of Mr. John
Redmond which should be sent broadcast
throughout the United Kingdom. This is
what Mr. Redmond said :—
" I would say to the Irish people, that Ireland
" for ever would be disgraced in the history of
" the world if, having sent those men to the
" front, they did not raise the necessary reserves
" to fill every gap that may rise in their ranks,
" so that in the future they may be able to
" say :
' When religion, liberty and civilisation
" were at stake I did my duty, and will be
" able to hand down to my son the proud
" recollection of his father's courage and
" determination.' "
Mr. Redmond had struck the true note, and
his language applied to the Solicitors' pro
fession as well as to every trade in the country,
and it was their duty to see that every able-
bodied person served his King and Country
in this crisis. There was practically little
difference between Lord Wimborne's Scheme
and that of Lord Derby, save that Lord
Derby's stipulated that the unmarried men
should go first. That was better undoubtedly
for the nation, and he did not think it would be
long before Lord Derby's Scheme in that
respect was adopted in Ireland. As to the
third part of the resolution, he wished to make
a slight amendment, so that the motion would
read—
'who by reason of age or unfitness are un-
' able to serve their country should continue
' to loyally preserve for those members who
'have joined the service or joined the Army
' under the Scheme, their business and appoint-
' ments during such service." He thought such