READY FOR A FIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 186, 6 August 1914, Page 6

READY FOR A FIGHT.

BRITAIN'S HAND FORCED. ITEUTRAI-ITY AND HONOTTR. -LOXDOX. August 4. Siv Kdwjrd -rev spoke tfor an hour anil a-iiali i" the' House of Ctrarmon? Yesterday, detailing the negotiations with (li-rmany. ilc wiiil tlKit lie woe tusked if armed support would be giwSn by Britain to Vrnncc He replied that he could pron ,iM. nothing unless h* received the ■whole-hearted support of puibliu opinion, but lie told the French and German Ambassadors that if war waa forced upon France public opinion in Great I'.nt.iiu would rally round Franco. "Mv own opinion i* that if a forcifrn fli-i't came iuid llmttered the undefejuled ~1-,-ts of I'ram-e." said Sir Edward, "we could not Htaml by with our anm folded, dispassionately doinjr nothing."' FLEET AND ARMY READY. VltiT detailing the negotiations carTuil on with Germany. Sir Ed.-vvh.rd Grey uUicd: "I lwive snid enough to show wp ttni.-1 !>!■ prepared." We arc prcparrd." iChcors lasting over a minute.) "Mr. SAsquitli. sis Minister for War, and Mr. ■"Winston (■•hurvlull. as Firrt lord of tlio iSdmirailty, tiavo no doulit of tltr readi3ip«s and efficiency of our forces. "Tliere is only one way in which Britain ran inakp certain of keeping out•side the war.' , contiaueil Sir Edward. **That would he by issuing invmpdiat<'ly ti. proclamation of unconditionu-l up\itraJin-. W<" cannot do that. If Wβ ■fctand'aside we sacrifice omr respwt and :goo<l name itliroupchcrut the -world. • WE MUST PACE IT." MVo are to tuifTcr tprribly itliroiipU this war. Koruign trade is to stop, not liecause the. routes ■will be closed, but becaaise no trade can Am conduded if the situation develops .is eeeine iprobable. We must neverth-e-----less fai'p it.". ".'.'. ",' ' Sir Edward .proceeded to say he ibeTic Ted that when the wuntry realised m-bat was at stake it would sup-port the (iovernment by determination, resolution and ondnrancp. (Loud cheers.) IRELAND WILL HELP. Mr. Redmond, leader of the Nationnparty, said that in times past, when the Empire was engaged in terrible onterprirtes the sympathy of th-c. NationaJisto of Ireland had Ibeen entranced. !but events in recent years had altered tliP situation. A wider knowledge ot real Irish history had altered the view of the British democracy towards Irp3and. lie honestly believed the Irisli democracy would tura \rith the utuioal anxiety and sympathy to Britain ir every trial and danger. Possibly the liiritory of 1778 will- ie repea-ted. when JlMl.nnil volunteers spranjj into existence to defend Ireland from inva.-non. LABOUR AND THE WAR. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald. lieader o£ the 1.-a>bour party, said that if the Govern ment ■confined th.tr question to that ol Belgian iieutnvlrty, the .Labour partj ■would them. "Wc'Wern brought into the Crimean war because of our honour."' he declared. -\V r e were rushed into the Zenith African war becmuse of our honour and now Sir Edward Grey lias appealed to us to-day because ol our 'honoiiTi.*' - ■\\"heii the Hoiiso met again to-day Wγ Kdward Grey announced the tenna of Germany , * ultimatum to Belgium jjiromising the maintenance and indej>endeni'f of the kingdom on the con-t-hieion of peace, and threatening in case (of rphiial to treat as an enemy. !>ir Edward added: "I can only say the Government has taken this informa lion iijto grove consideration." A WONDERFUL JINGO SPEECH Mr. P. X Morrell. liberal M.P. fot Burnley, speaking amid interruption eai'l that Sir Edward Grey had not givei ealliciout reason.-i ta* t'iie House win .Britain shonlrl intervene in the war. iMr. J. <'. Wedgwood. Liberal M.P ■for Newcaptle-under-Lvme. said Sit Edward Grey had made a wonderful "■jingo"' tipeech. {Loud cheers, and disMTlt.l Mr. \V. E. Harvey. Lfubmir -M.P. foi 3>orbysliiro, appealed to th<' Government 1o make a supreme efl'ort to prevent a tesrihle wreckage of human life. Mr. Keir ilardie, Socialist M.P. foi Mrrlhy.- Tydvil, said the Hoil«v had unanimously passed a ibiil to relieve the Stock Exchange, hut would do nothing 1o rp-lieve the inevitable destitution that.would follow. Some of the Eabour members said the)- would do all they could to rouse the opposition of the working- classes tn the Government's proposal. Mr. A. W*. H. Ponsonby, Liberal M.P. fur Stirl"ng Burjrha, .Sir' Albert Spicer. Liberal iiJ , . for liacknpy. and Mr. A. .?. Ronntrec, Liberal M.P. 'for York, made n|jpeaL3 for further npjotiations with • iennany. OPPOSITION SUPPORT. I'he Mai'quis of Lansdownc, Unionist Leader, speaking in the House of Lords, expressed great itatiefaction with Sir ■Edward Grey'ri statement, upon \\-hit;h a united front mig;ht well be based. In the Btatement great courage had rbeen sboTvn. Lurd Uinsdownc added: "In this crisis «c need not fear that any sectkm of tin: Government ie likelj- .to jeopardise tin! country's security or reputation. '