THE COUNTRY'S PERIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2732, 30 July 1915, Page 5

THE COUNTRY'S PERIL.

MR LLOYD GEFORCE'S GREAT APPEAL.

"KING COAL IS PARAMOUNT."

A BBGCER BURDEN ON BRITAIN'S SHOULDERS.

GREAT TRIBUTE TO COLONIALS' SPIRIT. .

(Received July. 30,. 10.30 a.m.)

LONDON, July 29. Three thousand people attended a National Conference of the mining industry at the ; "Kingsway Opera House. All the leading miners' men were present, and every coalfield in the kingdom was represented. Mr Simenson ' (president) said the miners had sent 250,000 of their comrades to the firing line, and the industry, owing to recruiting, was 3,000,000 tons short monthly. With a good will and greater effort it ■should be possible to recover some of the shortage. Though he hoped, the regulations securing the safety of the minors would not he modified, the Eight Hours Act might be suspended during the war, but the Government couldn't play tricks with tho Act without consulting them. Mr Lloyd George, who was greeted with a roar of applause, said coal was the life-blood of the nation, though he was not sure that those engaged in the industry realised its importance at the present time. "King Coal," he said, "is paramount over Lord Industry. It is our real national coinage. Shells mean coal, and rifles and cannon mean coal The 350,000 British casualties wore really inflicted by the Westphalian miner, working in co-oporation with Prussian engineers, without stint, without regulations, and by putting all their strength at the disposal of the Fatherland." He went on to a.sk whether the British minors were doing their share

similarly,. He admitted that the country couldn't expect the men to work overtime, suspend their trade union regulations, and p\it forth their full strength all was going well and there was no danger. "But," he asked, " can anyone reading the news intelligently doubt . that the situation is serious, if not perilous? There are two now parties now—tho. pessimists and tho optimists, or the ' blue sky' school and the 'grey sky,' bufc I?think the sky is mottled. We ought to remember that the sun is shining, behind the storm clouds, but should prepare for a thunderstorm. Don't read the headlines in the newspapers, but read the news. The man who doesn't then understand the peril of his country wouldn't believe if one rose from the dead. There are hundreds of thousands of dead lying in the east and West who could tell the peril if they rose. "Events in the east portend that a larger share of the burden than ever will be cast upon Britain's shoulders. It is useless to pay nine-tenths of the pl-ioe of victory- You cannot bridge a 12-feet stream with an 1.1-feet plank. "There is only one question all classes and all trades must ask themselves : ' Are we doing enough to secure victory when it means the fate of freedom for ages ?' Thero was too much disposition to cling to the amenities of peace, such as fashions, lock-outs, strikes, ca* canny methods of slowing up output., and -'sprees,! All oar wages must go up, profits must be improved, and prices must be kept down. It was also said that no man must be called on to serve the State unless ho. wishes', or should only do the work he liked, not what fitted him. This freedom implies the right to shirk, .and implies the right for you to expect and enjoy and for others to defend the country. Is that fair? Assuredly victory was not to bo gained by that road. "The story of the Australian and New Zealand battalions has not yet appeared. I will defy the Press Bureau and tell how the New Zealanders and the Australians were facing the Turkish attack the. other day. What was the effect ? No man would go on the sick list—not all the doctors in the regiments could persuade them. They wouldn't complain. There was no pulse-feeling, I can tell you. (Cheers.) There was no shirking. Not until the attack was over and they had finished the Turks, would they go into hospital. That's the spirit which alone will enablo us to win through. Nothing short of this will achieve victory.

"The peril is a great and immediate ono, but if the democracy of Britain rises to the occasion they will again triumph over all. the forces of despotism. The time has come when every man and woman must help their country.

"The soldiers are awaiting anxiously to hear the rattle, of loaded caissons coming from England. They left us to fill the waggons,' and when that is done there will be written in letters of flame the story of how the flag of freedom drooped for a moment under the onslaughts of the ruthless foe, but the men - and women of Britain came to the rescue and planted it firmly where no tyranny caji ever tear it down."

Mr Lloyd George was visibly moved by his reception. The house was packed from the stalls to the gallery. Rows of coalowners and miners' delegates occupied the platform. The speech was full of picturesque •phrases, r.n'xl had the quality of intimacy arising from the fact that the speaker was among men who know him well.

The threat to defy the Press Bureau was greeted with general laughter, and the Australasian story following aroused great applause. The closing passage of the speech had an electrical effect. The meeting again rose to its feet and cheered itself hoarse when Mr Lloyd George and MiArthur Henderson left to attend a Cabinet meeting. Mr Smillie then proposed, and Mr A. F. Pease, president of (the Miners' Association, seconded, a resolution to the effect that it was urgently necessary that the owners and workmen should secure the greatest possible output of coal during the war. The conference passed the resolution with enthusiasm.