More especially now in the war, when the leader's wisdom in giving the lead which he had given began to be gravely questioned even by his own supporters, it was invaluable for him to have backing from one who had taken the war as part of his life's creed--who knew no hesitancies, no reserves in his conviction that the right course had been followed, for the right thing was to do the right.

Finally and chiefly, Willie Redmond was the only man who could break through his brother's constitutional reserve and could force him into discussion.

In the months that were to come such a man was badly needed.

The loss of him meant to John Redmond a loss of personal efficiency.

Sorrow gave a strong grip to depression on a brooding mind which had always a proneness to melancholy, which was now linked with a sick body, and which lived among disappointments and grief and the sense of rancorous dislike in men who once thought it a privilege to cheer him on his passing.
Add to all this that Redmond's one hope for Ireland now lay in the Convention, and that he collated with good reason on his soldier brother's influence there--as no man could fail to do who had seen the effect which his last speech produced upon the House of Commons.
No doubt, however, part of the service which Willie Redmond rendered to Ireland in dying lay in the sympathy which he conciliated to his leader--in whom men saw, rightly, not only his nearest kinsman, but the representative of the principles for which the soldier-politician died.
The sympathy was genuine and it was widespread; yet so reserved was John Redmond that few, I think, guessed how deeply the blow had struck home.
Still less did they realize how much was meant by the bereavement which followed immediately.