1 HOUSE OF LORDS, S.W. 15th February, 1916. Dear Mr. Redmond, Please excuse a dictated letter: I have
little time for writing in my own hand. There have always been, as you know well,
a very considerable body of Irish operatives in the
town of Keighley. They are strongly Nationalist,
and have always formed a body by themselves.
Many of them were members of the Labour Party, and I do
not know, and I have never sought to ascertain, how
they exercised their vote, although I believe that
I enjoyed at once their confidence and support. What I thought right to tell you was this:
that as soon as the War was declared all of these
men available for military service enlisted in a
body, and it may be doubted if there are even a
handful left who are fit to fight and have not offered
their service. I want you to know this, as the Irish
position is, as no one knows better than yourself,
often but imperfectly understood. You could probably
verify this statement of mine by enquiry in the district. 2 At any rate I know it will give you encouragement
in the difficult work at which you have laboured so
hard. Yours very sincerely Buckmaster John E. Redmond, Esq. , M.P.