"LOVE YOUR ENEMIES."

Press, Volume L, Issue 15158, 23 December 1914, Page 7

"LOVE YOUR ENEMIES."

SERMOSS THAT ARE MISPLACED.

Tho presence of tho official reprcsen* of Franco. Japan, and Russia at the annual dinner ot tho Sydney University Kvcning Students , Association last week, was i<y some extent respoiu«:Mo for the many references that wero made- during the evening; to tho war. References '•> the situation, and to the deeds that have been performed were loudly cheered, and the State Chief Justice, Sir "William P. CuHen, who is Chancellor of tho V'niversity, struck a uoto which found instant lav-

Men from tho Sydney University, lie said, had go no in large numbers, to tlo men's work in the yervioo of tin* nation. Some of them had attained positions of <li.-.tinitio!i in command, and one, at least, had given his blood for the Empiiv. Yet he did not know that people- in Australia realised the awful sternness thai, this contest involve*!. They were now 1700 student* at Cambridge' instead of 3700. Trinity College alone had only itX> out op <W0 men. The Glasgow University bad 400 fewer student?; tlian last. year.

Sir William Culleti proceeded:— '•"What J want to bring out of all that is this: "Wo do not know —uo oho knows —how Tonp {]n"s contest may last. Tho whole- fabric of a mighty nation hancs in tho balance: but no great nation that Ims boon preparing for war for so many years, that has put into it its whole brain, and worked out ■with tho most scientific principles every detail of every possible problem that, may confront, "it, easily has its fabrio shattered. This crisis, tho greatest of modeni iimop, is of such a nature that, no possible peace can bo arranged until or.o nation or the other is crippled. We have faith that it Trill not bo ours bnt—am to thinking enough, about it? (Hear, hear.)

"I liave been rather ontortained by certain discoveries in parts of tho English ' Press from writers who seem to fear, olwvo all things, that wo will held unkindly feelings towards our oppononts, and who aro endeavouring to jylnco in front of us tho view that wo must, suppress every hard feeling to those who arrt fightins against us. If. is like a "benevolent'old lady who preaches to mon engaged in mortal combat: 'Let brotherly love continue.' (Hear, hear.)

"T believe this of the British, afid of Australians, men of the name breed", that they will nover bo mean or anchiralrous. They -will bo just, bat as for preaching generosity when nobody knows who is going down, I think. those sermons, directed towards modifying any feeling of resentment against tho actions of our. oppononfa, am sadly misplaced. (Applanso.) Tho persons to whom our generosity should go out are the> victims of cruelty, meanness, and "brutality—(loud npr plauso)—unsurpassed in modorn history, and scarcely equalled in ancient history; and those who tell us that Vn. aro to regard this matter from tho philosophic standpoint, declaring that wo should foci lovo for tho people wit a whom our nation is engaged, are wasting our time, and they aro to some extent, no ono knows to how great an exteut. taking tho fibre out of the men who could help us if tnoy throw their ivholo heart and soul into tho work." (Loud applause.) "Responding to the toast of "Tho Allies." proposed by Acting-Profeasoi* Holme, M. Chayet, Consul-G-onpraJ for France, had a most enthusiastic reception, the company singing "Tho Marseillaise" and cheering .heartily, H» touched upon tho University life of Germany, where tbo students were taught to sing of Germany as bnina; above every other nation. French, stop-' cats did not eing of Franco being above every other nation. They sang of France boing equal to tho best-—(ap-plause;—and that wns tho spirit which animated tho. nation. (Applause.) Mr S. ftbimisti, Consul-general for Japan, had also a groat reception." Af--tor a reference to tho work accomplished by tho univorsities of Japan and Australia., he spoke of his nation's part in tho war. "Our sufferings and losses," ho said, "have- been trißinjg in comparison with those of Great Britain and her other Allies, but to those who aro affected by them they aro eerioUß and real enough. At any rate, sufficient had been done to justify.the words of Count Okuma, the> Premier of Japan, which .appear in an article written by him and published in the \Tanan Maga*ine.' Count Okuma says: It will be our ono ambition at this time to snoir tho West what it is slow to b«liov<y— that wo can work harmoniously with great Occidental Powers to support atid protect tho highest ideals of civilisation, f>vcn to tho extent of dring for them." -