FALL IN!

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15487, 14 January 1916, Page 6

FALL IN!

MANIFESTO BY PRIME MINISTER'

THE CALL FROM THE TRENCHES.

MEN AND STILL MORE MEN. .

Tho following manifesto was issued by the i'rimo Minister (the Bt. Hon. AV. F. Massey) Jast night: — To the People of New Zealand. — It is now close itpon eighteen months .sineo the Government of New Zealand, with the full conscnt and approval of the people of tho Dominion, decided to place an Expeditionary Force at tho disposal of tho Imperial authorities, in tho interval we have despatched over 34,000 troops to tho front; we have Another 12,000 in trainiug, and stand committed to the despatch of 2500 men monthly by way of reinforcements. This means that by tho end of the current jcar wc eh all havo sent, not less than €1,000 men into the fighting-line—no small achievement for a country which' has only a population of a little over a million. Hitherto we have worked upon the voluntary system, and while men aro forthcoming in sufficient, numbers to fulfil tho engagements which New Zealand has made with tho Imperial authorities, thcro is no desire on tho Government's part to depart from that system. At tho same time, it is desirable that particularly every single man of military ago and fitness, and possessing tho minimum of responsibilities, should be induced to do what, under existing circumstances, is his obviotis duty. I make, no apology for an appeal to the manhood of the Dominion, especially as arrangements are now being made to bring our new recruiting scheme into operation. We are all proud of the magnificent response that has already been made to the Empire's call for men to do battle in the cause of justice and liberty, and for the deliverance of the oppressed. Bat the effort which loyalty and patriotism demand of us now is greater than was at one time anticipated, «ind requires that we should put every ounce of energy wo possess into tho »ealo against Germany. THE NEED IS FOR MEN, MOKE MEN, AND STILL MORE MEN. The call comes to every man in this country, who is in a position to do so, to preparo to take his place in the fighting-line. Tho cry comes to vis. from our sons, brothers, and kinsmen in the trenches—"Come over and help us.'' It rings through every note of the official despatches; it is echoed by the sick, the wounded, and by the men who have returned invalided from the front. The graves of Gallipoli appeal to us silently, yet eloquently, that the sacrifices made there, and the heroic lives laid down on that shell-swept Peninsula, shall not have been given in vain. No man worthy of the name can remain deaf to such appeals.

The Empire needs the faithful" and devoted services of all its citizens, if ifc is to prove victorious in the Stupendous task to which it has set its hand. Never in all its glorious history has it called upon its people in vain. Shall we fail it now?

The Motherland, which Jias made many sacrifices on our behalf, appeals*, to her sons across the seas for their, assistance and 00-operation. Zeppelin raids, coastal bombardments, and tho grim menace of submarines, ' have familiarised her -with the horrors of a warfare we have so far happily escaped, and which we, too. should experience but for the protection the Briti&a Fleet affords us. It is our duty; nay, more, our privilege, to go to her help.

In certain quarters of late we have heard talk of the "Prussianising" of Now Zealand. Only in one way is it possible to Prussianise New Zealand, and that is by allowing the enemy to become victorious. If by apathy and indifference we fail in our duty, and w> make conquest an easy matter for our adversaries, the responsibility will upon tlioso who have declined to accept the priviloges and duties of citizenship, chief amongst which is the uefencti of the country.

Self-preservation, a care for our homes, and the sanctify of family life, apart altogether from love or country, alike demand ,tfhat we should be on the alert to repel the foe, and to defend the Empire on the fields of battle, where the decisive blows must be struck that will bring either victory or defeat to the opposing forces, and which will decide our destiny, together with that of the Empire with which our faio is inseparably connected.

Germany's plans for conquest which have been unfolded before the eyes of an astonished world since the war began. included the annexation of tho British oversea Dominions, also of Egypt, and probably India. We need, therefore, to be under no illusions as to our fate, if the Central European Powers prove victorious. The German eagle would replace the Union Jack and tho New Zealand flag in these southern seas. The Huns would simply enter upon and despoil the country, and German autocracy, backed up by Krupp's guns, would take the place of our free institutions. Democracy as we know it would perish under Prussian rule, and it would become a crime to speak the English language.

pirates, must be swept from tho plac# jit has usurped and forced back into tfo (remotest corners of Britain until it has ! returned to its original elements of an I insignificant pirate dialect.''

j The dangers we have to guard against are very real, but if wo aro true to our. 'selves, true to tlio traditions of our j race, and faithful stewards of th 0 sap. ; red heritage committed to us by oa r I forefathers, we need not fear the re- : suit. Only by disunion, disloyalty, and ; half-hoartodness can the, victory pass j from our grasp. Wo New Zeaianders ; pride ourselves most of all upon our loyalty to our Empire, our country, and our Rag. "\\ e liavc made sacrifices on j their behalf, but the call is for greater J sacrifices still. We arc proud to think that tens of thousands of New Ze». landers' sous count it an honour to take up arms on behalf of tho Empire, and that her heroic daughters havo t willingly braved the perils of tho bat: jtlefield and of servico in strange lands in order to minister to tho suffering and to succour tho wounded.

, Duty calls us to battle on behalf of the right. Failure to defeat the" damnablo doctrino that "might is right" will, land tho world into' tho; abysmal depths of savagery. .

j Honour demands tliat wo should imako sacrificcs for tho good of our fcl- . low men, for the protection of oufy, women and children, and for tho 6ano ;1 tity of our home life*. crushcd, torn, cruelly violated, betrayed, as surely no other ;has ever been before, and as no other .' country shall bo despoiled again, if 1 men of onr Empire are true to the ditions of their race—Belgium and tho \4 j other martyr nations appeal for succour > ' and sympathy. •'{£

We need not wait to have tho whole ; rccord of Germany's infamies, "sciontifically proved," to realise the call pf-V.l rluty; here. British people will never'i forget the sinking of tho Lusitariia,.';,' tho Arabic, and tho Persia, the drownr f: ing of our nurses, the murder of Cavell, and the other atrocities reveled to us by the enquiries which havQ i»it&|ip place, and from . which shrinks in horror. ' •%'

For Britain's sake, ,wij have sent sons,, our brothers, arid our to the war. For her sake and f6r our tj own protection, and. for the safety tend | happiness of our womenfolk .and-cVul- . dren wo must continue to reinforced them, ■ and to strengthen ■ their, handjs|| ■in every possible-way. ' Wo. must on until a durable peace bfcoomes P 0 8"!! sible, and the sword must not be® sheathed until Belgium's wrongs havo« been righted, until Russian and 1 Serbia are again freed from the •joke J of the oppressor, and until ample guar- v 3j anteos are available for the safety of | the smaller nationalities of ; the world. In this way we can all play our part. But to this end we must be to make sacrifices, and I am satisfied that the people of New Zealand who j have already done bo much in this->\ direction, will continue steadfast to the last, and bear, themselves and well in this war of ware, and this hour of the Empire's greatest need. ;; |

- THE CALL IS STILL FOI} % VOLUNTEERS. || Many who Tead this appeal bliouW| enlist right away. Duty remind*! them "of their obligations; from . tbe| trenches their comrades call'to them the cry of "To the front 1" rings more and more insistently. . i,'l' WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO Dpi ; ABOUyT TT? Men of New Zealand, WE MUSTrf KEEP THE GERMANS OUT OF ENGLAND, AND OUT OF NEW ZEA.-J LAND AND EVERY OTHER 881-sf TISH POSSESSION. What is wanted now is the spirit of* the Lancashire man of whom I recently. . His two pons had gone the war, and word came that ' the * younger had been killed. The was noL content, although he was siderably above military age, until was able to take his boy's placo, and .5 one day found himself in the fighting" line by his eldest son's side ''eome-S where in France." Gripping his boy.;' by the hand, the father said: coom to take Andy's place. word came about thy brother, tlijj.J mother bade me 000 m to thee, and .LW be ashamed, man, if I failed to do.J something to keep the Bosches ont ofj Old England. And we've, got to do-| it, lad, for the sake of thy mother andj thy sisters." .

By keeping the Bosohes out of Bri-jj tish territory we shall save wo shall save tho Empire, and shaJl| be in a better position to. efficiently assist our gallant Allies and redeem,-j Belgium, Poland, and Serbia. .J| It is our privilege to act to-day. Aj duty deferred, or neglected, may caus®;| us lifelong tribulation and if.) mind. Let us then "'act in tuo'liviflgj present." Every man able to bear;? arms is needed at tho front. oU i | know if you com© within that ca tc-., gory. If you do, enlist at onco, anid».y like a certain soldier of Army, you will be able to eay, "1 not among the first to go, but I thank God, I wont." (Signed) W. F. JIASSEY, i t Prime Minister, and Chairman of Recruiting Board, t Wellington, January 13th.

Has not a leading Berlin paper told us, with th© approval of the German official world, that "MANKIND NEEDS GERMAN METHODS'' and "MUST MAKE USE OF THEM FOR ITS SPIRITUAL PRESERVATION." And has not the Berlin "Deutsche Tageszeitung" declared that we must also accept "the blessing" of the German tongue? "On all men," it arrogantly writes, "not those belonging to the more cultured races only, but on men of all nationalities and colours, the German language acts as a blessing, which, coming direct from th© b?md of God, sinks into the heart like a precious balm and ennobles it." "And so English,", the journal. proceeds. "^ ie as * tard tongue of the canting island