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 are too old, in the training of the recruits, but which would be quite suitable for making a beginning at any rate in the drilling of the Volunteers.