A THREE-FOLD MENACE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 71, 23 March 1916, Page 2

A THREE-FOLD MENACE.

| .'_. . .... a., .. - LADY STOUT ON WAR PROBLEMS. - i ADDRESS TO AUCKLAND WOMEN. 1 LESS UQIJOR AND NO GERMAN GOODS. ' In the course of an address to members of the Auckland WATLL yesterday I afternoon, Lady. Stout put forward a ■ strong plea for assistance in endeavouring to persuade the Government to make "shouting" for soldiers illegal, to enforce the early closing of hotels, and to protect the health of our soldiers in Egypt by declaring certain undesirable quarters "out of bounds." Lady Stout was speaking as president of the AntiGerman League, which has been active in Wellington recently, and the latter part of her address was confined to the objects of that organisation. "SHOUTING " SHOULD CEASE. Lady Stout commenced by referring to the danger of the drinking habit among our soldiers, which impaired their efficiency, and said that this was largely attributable to the practice of " shouting." In her opinion that practice should be put down. In England, any person who bought drink for a soldier was liable to a fine of £100. Legislation on similar lines sliould most certainly be adopted by the Parliament of New Zealand. The earlier closing of hotels was also held by the speaker !o be highly desirable. England, land, and Australia had shown a good' example in this connection, and it was strange that our Dominion had taken no action. When the King took the pledge of abstinence during the waT. said Lady Stout, he doubtless thought that New Zealand, being a country noted for leading in social legislation, would have fallen in the movement. In Australia and other parts, of ,the Empire the. King's example had been followed by Governors, Ministers of the Crown, members of Parliament, and other public men. But this was not so in New Zealand. OUT OF BOUNDS. Speaking of the welfare of our 6oldiers in Egypt, Lady Stout jmparted a good deal of information - that had reached her from direct sources. It was clearly shown that numbers of men had been rendered unfit for further service by the dire effects of Eastern diseases. This being so. it was for the mothers and ■sisters of our boys to urge upon the authorities the wisdom of taking fuller procautions to keep the men away from undesirable quarters. Lady Stout said that she had been informed by those who should know that it would be possible to achieve the end desired by declaring these quarters "out of bounds.' This could be done by the posting oi pickets. WORST EVIL OF ALL. Proceeding with her address. Lady Stout said that while the two points she had emphasised were serious national evils, there was still a worse. It wa.Germany. For forty years the people ol the British Empire had blindly helped to boild up the military strength that had" enabled Germany" to over-run Uel g'ium and other peaceful parts ol AU.true BFitisJicrs-*liouid\ae< that no actions of theirs would eve; again" help to bolster up Germany. Thi League.with .which the speaker was-con nected stood also against allowing- dan gerous freedom to the" eiiem}' within ou; gates. The 1-eaguc protested againsi the employment of Germans, sons o Germans, and naturalised Germans it j our Army, or in any position of trusi where they could obtain information do trimeutal to our country's interest Members of the League were asked t< atisist in obtaining information regard ing Germans or other foreigners en Listing for active service. There wai strong reason to believe that care 'i this direction was necessary. APPEAL TO OUR WOMEN. Touching on the question of discour aging trade witb enemy subjects, Lad; Stont said that the women of New Zea land were asked to pledge themselves t< buy no German or Austrian goods, am iJ to render all assistance to New Zealam . and British manufacturers, where pos , I sible. and in all cases where .ioreigi , j goods be purchased "that preference b , .given. to our. Allies, .An effort .wa j also being 'made to induce Parliftmen I! to amend the law relating to the. natu : J ralisation of Germans, Austrians, am j i people of hostile nations, as Britis' 1 subjects. During her recent trip t I North Auckland, said Lady Stout,'sh l ! had seen evidence of the need for can l tion in so far as the foreign elemen I was concerned. - Britishers did no j naturalise with foreign countries, a | why should foreigners naturalise hcri I "Once a.German always a German," was she thought, a safe ground of reasonin, • to go upon. WHERE PEACEFUL METHODS FAH To those people- wbo thought that w could have brought about ' a pcacefu settlement in the early days of this pre sent trouble. Lady Stout's closing ad vice was to read what had recently bee said by Mr. IJoyd George, than whor i there had formerly been no stronger ad i vocate for peace. He had said: "We a' I | recollect the great Balkan crisis. Notl II ing could have been more friendly tha - j the attitude of Germany. ' I could have been more retiring, mor i modest, more unpretentious. It wa - j always 'After you.'' She did not wan -| to push herself to the front at all. Rh " I had a benevolent smile for France. Sh - I treated Russia as a friend and brotlie: J | She smoothed down the snsceptibilitic ' of Austria. She walked arm in an i with Great Britain through the chai cellorios of Europe. And we reall ° thought that at last an era of peat ' and goodwill had d-awned. At that m< c ment she was forging and hidin-» v immense accumulations of war stores t take her neighbours imawaTes and mv der them in their sleep." On the eonelnsion of her address. Lad Stout was heartily applauded, and g number of those present readily joine '. tfhe League and signed tho petition 1 n Parliament. .. . "...'■'.'"' .) . =