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affected by the scarcity of food supplies, you went on as 

 before, producing neither more nor less, that you ac- 

 cepted whatever services the nation could render to 

 your class but did not stir in the nation's need to render 

 any service to it? You could make no claim, nor as a 

 class would you have any claim on the nation. If the 

 past policy was justified by its results, if you increased 

 production, if you had manfully served the nation, then, 

 I think, a good case could be made out for continuance 

 of the policy of land purchase. The industry which 

 stood the strain of war best, which increased its output, 

 and had been a strong factor in the powers of endurance 

 of the nation, that industry would be certain of prefer- 

 ential treatment by the nation. You will be judged as 

 a class, not as individuals. The statistical columns in 

 Irish Blue Books will be merciless witnesses about you 

 as a class, and therefore it is necessary that you should 

 realise, as a class, that the right method now of fighting 

 for the completion of land purchase is to make your 

 land produce more food. Political methods will not help 

 you in the future one jot in this matter if your industry 

 has taken out of the mouths of your advocates the great 

 argument that ownership led to increased agricultural 

 production and would benefit the nation. If that argu= 

 ment fails your advocates, if you request aid and confess 

 no obligations, the nation will turn from you and devote 

 itself to the amelioration of the conditions of the long 

 neglected workers in Irish towns. 



I would regret with a personal passion that your class 

 should cease to be predominant in our national life. I 

 believe that country is happiest and has the most moral 

 and stable life where agriculture predominates among 

 the industries. A fine life is possible for humanity 

 working on the land, bronzed by the sun and wind, liv- 

 ing close to nature, affected by its arcane influences, 

 which bring about essential depth and a noble sim- 

 plicity of character. To create a rural civilisation is a 

 great ideal. There is -another life, fine in its 

 way, where humanity, collectedi in the cities, 



