THE OUTLOOK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 308, 28 December 1915, Page 4

THE OUTLOOK.

Among the British statesmen and politicians whose reputation has been enhanced, and whose political influence has been extended since the war began, a leading place may deservedly be conceded to Mr. Bouar Law. As our readers are j well aware, we are not usually in sym-' pathy with the Unionist party's view of politics, and we have often had occasion to criticise ifa leaders adversely. But even before war was declared Mr. Bonar Law offered Mr. Asquith the support of the Unionist party in whatever course he might think it necessary, to take in ' defence of Britain's interest, and ever since the outbreak of hostilities he has loyally kept hie pledge. Before the Coalition was formed he carefully refrained from any public action or a>nv criticism that could embarrass- the Liberal Government in regard to the conduct of the war, and since he became .Mr. Asquith's colleague he has done his host to prevent any revival of partizan i feeling in Parliament, and to keep the small irresponsible section of his followers under control. As a natural consequence Mr. Bonar Law's personal and political prestige stands higher than over at Home, and all the more import- j ance is therefore to be attached to the' comments on the prospects of the war credited to him in our cable columns [ to-day. I Our readers will observe that in the! first place 3lr. Bonar Law has no doutv j whatever about our ultimate triumph.; He is as firmly convinced as ever that ' the Allies are strong enough to crush j the Central Powers, and that they have the will, no less than the-strength, to | do so. He does not believe that any of the Allies will falter in the task, or that there is any fear that Germany will sue- j ceed in her obvious intention of break- j ing up the great Entente and bribing or! intimidating any of the statas and nations that have taken arms against her to make a separate peace. Still less is it conceivable to him that Britain or any of the Dominions oversea will fail j in their duty, or that they will shrink from the efforts and the sacrifices that' all alike must make to carry this great | enterprise to> its only possible conclusion. Yet it will be observed that llr, Bonar Law does not shut his "eyes' to the risks we are running or the burdens that the war will certainly impose upon us. Apparently the- time has not yet come for the Allies to exert their gigantic strength in the one great blow that will sooner or later decide beyond doubt the further course of the war. And because the vast resources of the Allies are not yet entirely available, he even warns us that there may be failures to face and disasters to endure before the finil victory is achieved. We may be forced to hear bad new 3 before the good aews comes that we have waited for so long. Yet Mr Bonar Law does not allow himself to be depressed by the temporary successes, diplomatic and military, that the enemy lias recently' won in the Balkans, and the Xear and Middle East. For what has happened in Serbia and Macedonia and Thrace, and what may happen in Mesopotamia and Persia and Egypt are after all merely side issues. The vital centres of the war still lie in Russia and France and Flanders; and there, though the struggle is not yet decided, its issue cannot be regarded as doubtful. On the east, the German invasion of Russia has failed, with onormous losses to the enemy. On the west the Allies now far surpass the enemy in : military strength and in artillery power, ! and the German onset which broke at J the Marne and the Aisne and at Ypres I and on the Yser long ago will never crush our armies now. All that we need to ensure victory is" patitace and eondence in ourselves; and when victory comes, Britain will not. forget to honour those of our rulers who in the hour of peril remained unshaken and steadfast, with their courage firmly based on their belief in the righteousness of our cause and their faith in the destiny of their country and the Empire.