Series 01 Part 02: Hughes family correspondence, 3 April 1917-22 September 1918 - Page 214
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[Page 214]
2.
of hearing all he said. He went straight for Mannix & Sinn Feiners, & I think there is no other course to be taken. Certainly when I go on the stump, and opportunity offers, I shall not mince my words.
Mother tells me she has sent you the account of the Irvine meeting, and I am now enclosing the Herald & Telegraph accounts of the Hughes meeting last night. There were raging crowds of "Antis" outside the Town Hall, but about nine o'clock a tremendous thunderstorm burst over them, & when we got outside later on there were only a few of them left. Make no mistake about it, this is going to be a fierce & bitter fight, & the result is on the knees of the Gods.
It is too soon yet to say what the outlook is. Many people are against holding a Referendum at all, but Hughes says he is pledged to it. On the other hand the State Government gave a most contemptible & cowardly pledge last March that if they were returned to power they would not reopen the conscription question, & many members pledged themselves not to support conscription even if it was introduced.
Well, it has been, & many of the State members on the National side are in the 'soup'. Holman,