NO COMPROMISE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16324, 23 September 1918, Page 8

NO COMPROMISE.

SPEECH BY MR KIPLING. WELCOME TO AMERICAN SOLDIERS. American troops are pouring across the Atlantic, says the London "Daily Telegraph" of July 22nd, in a mighty stream. Mr Rudyard Kipling, who yesterday had an opportunity of addressing softie thousands of these splendid soldiers from the 'West, likened their coming to "the actual bodily transit of the New World moving in arms to aid in redressing the balance of the old." On the breezy uplands overlooking the ancient city of' Winchester there is a great camp where the young manhood of tho United States halts for a little while before setting forth on the last stage of tho long journey from the homeland to France. Mr Kipling visited the rest camp for the purpose of opening an officers' inn provided by the American Young Meh's Christian Association, and his presence was hailed by America's sons with genuine enthusiasm.

"Don't coddle the Hun!" This, according to one of their officers, is an injunction which the troops of the United States find it no trouble to remember. Pointing to a "bunch of .the boys," strong of frame and straight'of limb, he 6poke of them as born fighters who will "stick it" to the end and put the last ounce of their strength into every blow they strike. "Don't coddle the Hun!" Mr Kipling's appeal was on precisely similar lines. He pointed.oufc that when Germany realises that her defeat is certain we shall be urged on various high grounds to make somo sort of compromise with her. Yet, if we accept these pleas, we shall betray mankind as effectively as though we had turned our backs upon the battle from the first. Some measure of justice must be done upon those "who have made it their religion to do iniquity."