On Friday week General Friend and Mr. Campbell, the Irish
Attorney-General, were the most important witnesses before the Commission. General Friend, who commanded in Ireland till General Maxwell arrived during the revolt, said that on the out- break of war none of the Volunteers gave any cause for anxiety. Indeed, all the Volunteers worked energetically to help him. In October, 1914, however, the bad influence of the Sinn Feiners became noticeable. They thwarted recruiting in every way. Men charged with such offences were acquitted by juries in spite of the clearest evidence. He had feared risings in several places, but not In Dublin. He had moved troops without consulting the Castle. There were no guns in Dublin or at the Curragh, and only four at Athlone. Mr. Campbell explained vehemently how Lord Mac- Donnell when Under-Secretary had tried to remove political cases from the control of the Attorney-General. He himself, being Attorney-General at the time, and the Solicitor-General had pro- tested strongly. The attempt was dropped. But when he returned to office as Attorney-General he found that the change had been quietly introduced. Thus it happened that during the days pre- ceding the revolt he had never once been consulted.
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