OPINION AND THE WAR.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15488, 15 January 1916, Page 7

OPINION AND THE WAR.

SPEECHES OF THE WEEK. NO OLD GODS. (THOSI OUR OWN CORBESPONDEfT.) LONDON/December 7. Mr Birrell. at North Bristol: "Some people think that after tho war changes which liaro been made in social thought and relations will disappear, that men will summon back their gods from temporary retirement in the attics of St. Stephen's, and begin worshipping them afresh, chanting tho old litany: 'The devil tako the hindmost, and the weakest goes to the wall.' If we do not do that—and the changes represent real solidarity of feelinn: between all classes—an approach to something the Lord came to callus to —the brotherhood of races—then tho war will have given rise to an cpoch. It is the only happiness of my life to believe most confidently that tho crime of this war rests upon other shoulders than ours, and that Great Britain had no choice but to take tho part it has taken. The riches in the country will be heavily reduced, but if we accomplish our purpose of scrying the causo of humanity and liberty that will not matter, and that must be the object of us all." THE TRIUMPH OF RIGHT. Lord Robert Cecil, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs: "The outstanding impression of tho war is the extraordinary courago and tenacity of the soldiers and officers in tho great fight. More, perhaps, than in any previous war this is a contest between two highly-organised human machines. It is like all contests in human history, fundamentally a contest of ideas, and unless one sido or tho other is prepared to abandon these ideas, sooner or later tho great controversy must bo fought out. We believe we arc fighting for liberty, justice, and permanent peace. That certainly is true. But even underlying these great ideas there is a fundamental issue between the combatants. Tlio German conception, acted upon long before they began to preach it, was that as between nations there was nothing but material power, that the only thing to which appeal can bo made was actual, material, mechanical, and physical force. German 'kultur,' if I _ understand it rightly, is nothing, if it is looked at fairly* and truly, but organised barbarism.^—(Cheers.) We—and I speak of people in tho system of Christian civilisation—believe that that is not so, and (that beyond all physical power there is something still more powerful. If the German idea is to triumph, that will be the end of all hope for 1 the human race. Ido not mean to say that the great ideas for which wo are fighting will go down at one contest. If we can imagine such a tliinj; as tho final triumph of the conception that might is right, that will strike at the root of everything which makes lifo worth living in the world. After all, what is human progress, what is tho gradual growth from anarchy to civilisation? It is the substitution of something beyond physical force as tliat which is to rule mankind. Tho great instrument which we have evolved in this country, and, indeed, in all civilised countries, as between man and man, has been the supremacy of tho law and the enforcement of moral obligations, apart from individual streiigth and tlio numbers of the population. If wo can establish our idea, it means hone for the human race, it means tho substitution of international law for international anarchy, and it means that we shall secure a peace on tho only true foundation,-.that of righteousnoss." :

THE ROMANTIC GERMANS. Mr G. Bernard Shaw, speaking in'aid of baby clinics: — "Wo maj' put peace as completely out of our heads Wt present as we may clear skies and summer heat. Eycn supposing that thq German Emperor, in a fit of inspiration, were suddenly to withdraw his army into his own frontiers, and to say, 'Now, I have shown you that I can sweep all your armies before me, nevertheless, as I believe tho world cannot 'be governed by the sword, I am going to ask you to discuss what is best to be done.' Even if this amazing thing were to happen,'how could we accept that offer? .- If we aid,' wo should bo acknowledging that the German army was invincible, and that we were vanquished. Tho nation is in no temper to think of peace. I venture to tell you that the German army is not the perfect and infalliblo machine which everybody believes it to be. In fighting' that army, you are fighting a romantic dream—the dream of a romantic people. Being in the romantic lino myself—(laughter) —I know'-how short of proficiency all romantic people are. The German army attacked Liege without siege guns and were held: up for a fortnight by a little Belgian army, thereby losing the war. Since then, of course, tho German army, like'all other armies, had learned its business, until it has done wonderful things, and now the Germans themselves have got into that attitude of mind towards tho rest of mankind, out of which they will have to be awakened thoroughly, and that is why we must go on fighting. You must make up : your minds that-wo must go on until we have destroyed that dream." , THE SOVEREIGNTY OF MONET. Mr McKenna, to an American interviewer:— , , J,"In a war of exhaustion such as tins one, the financial effort of this country must be one of tho main factors upon which success will ultimately depend. Long before British money runs shore the supply of German men will be exhausted. The reserve of German manpower not yet called to tho colours consists of men over 45,. and of boys under 19, who have hitherto not volunteered. The permanent wastage of German soldiers is at a rate of certainly not less than 200,000 a month, and it becomes almost a mathematical calculation how long Germany can continue to fight- X believe that in Germany stress is now laid upon numbers or -victories than upon 'the will to conquer.' But nations formerly at first triumphant have discovered that no 'will to conquer' can take tho place of men who are dead, maimou, broken, and prisoners of war. _ Alicii among the combatant nations, in the verv neart of an unprecedented war, we "in England havo imposed immense new taxation upon our own people. The monev has been found without strain and'without resorting to anv. of those illegitimate forms of raising money which are condemned by all sound economists. After fifteen months of war our gold market is still free, and every scrap of paper issued by the Government can bo exchanged for gold on demand at the Bank of England. Germany's system admits of no taxation now, and can provide no means of meeting tho enormous liabilities incurred by tho free issue of paper money and the accumulation of practically forced internal loans, unless it be by the exaction of -an indemnity from enemies who will never be defeated. Liabilities which can oiilr bo discharged in this way will never bo discharged *t all, and" must inevitably !ead to national repudiation or to bankruptcy. I have spoken freely of our gigantic national resources, but I do not forget the obligation upon our people not to waste those resources by unnecessary public or private expenditure. There are large opportunities of thrift still open to all clau-c. of society; and all classes of society.should realise that in exercising any possible thrift (a virtue rather despised in England) they are directly helping to shorten the war and bring victory Eearer.'i