EMPIRE UNITY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16299, 24 August 1918, Page 7

EMPIRE UNITY.

(VROSI OtJR OWtf COB^POOTEOT.) June 25. Mr Lloyd Qeorge, in a speech, at the Parliamentary, suppervih. the Royal Gallery, said:-- , ; . "Our. guests represent' a good 'deal to us. A of Empire, arid of a great Empire, and at. a - moment when a terribio ; enemy is attempting the destruction of our, nativo land/ we- may be* forgiven 'for having, almost uppermost in our minds that'our guests represent a real help to our country at our moment of real need. \V4> know tnat their people are fighting for the cause of Empire and rigut, which they deem as sacred as we do; but we also know that they came more readily, more eagerly, more speedily into tho fight because tho Old Country had got herself into trouble through ner cHampionship of that cause. The Kaiser has proclaimed to tiie world tnat God gave jaihdenburg and iiudenuo'iff to bim and. to Germany. I wonder wtio gave the British Empire to 'ins enemies! He could easily find out if too would only ask some learned divine to tell huii who planted in the heart of mau wrath against injustice, abnorreuco of iniiuinanity, and* the love of freedom. (Cheers.) It is these divine pa&sionsthat have raised the British Jvmpiie from north to-south, from the far east to the far. west, in one brotherhood of arms against the deeds and designs of Prussian despotism. At the Imperial Conference ot 1907 I federation- of free commonwealths is worth making some sacrifices for. One never knows when its strength may be essential to the great cause of human freedom, and that is priceless. 5 We know now.' Let the knowledge of peril averted bv the unity of Empire be oUr creed for further strengthening it. That is why the Imperial Conference of 1907 has become the Imperial Cabinet of < to-day. (Cheers.) That is why India has been called into our oouncils. That is ' why action has been added to oounsol and counsel has been converted into action. And that is why we specially welcome our guests to-night as forerunners of a succession of counsellors coming from all over tne Empire, who will f r generations to/come:direct the destiny and wield the authority and the power of the greatest union of free nations that the world has ever 6een." (Cheers.)