The Dominion TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1914. A LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2243, 1 September 1914, Page 4

The Dominion TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1914. A LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE

The tremendous carnage which is at present going on in France and Belgium shows how desperate is the anxiety of the Germans to crush tho French with all possible speed.' Every hour's delay favours the Allies and tells severely against the enemy. The huge armies of Russia are sweeping all before them in their march to Berlin. „Every day- the prossuro on Germany from the East is becoming more evident, and the Kaiser will be soon compelled to withdraw some of his troops from the West—if he has not already done so—in order to protect'the heart of his Empire. 'It is the realisation of this fact that is causing nearly the whole weight of the German hosts to bo hurled against France with such desperate disregard of the losses sustained. They havebeen thrown back again and again with enormous loss, but again and again they press forward and are • gaining ground by sheer weight of numbers. They pay tho extreme, price, as Lord Kitchener has told us, for -every forward march; but the fact remains • that the gigantic character of the attack places an enormous strain on'the resources of the defence; and has compelled the Allies to fall back. The behaviour of the British troops in the face of overwhelming odds has been magnificent. They have upheld the best traditions of the Army; but their numbers are comparatively small, and it is beooming tnore evident every day that -Britain must put a much greater army in the field. The Empire is beginning to realise that Lord Roberts meant every word he said when he told a new battalion of city men that "we are engaged in a_ life and death struggle." Britain has engaged in such struggles! before, and lias come through them triumphantly,' and never in her long history has she been in a better position to carry on a great war than at tho present moment. She does riot stand alone. She is backed up by a family of young nations who have resolutely taken up their stand alongside the Motherland, and are absolutely convinced of the justice of their cause;, and she has theiassistance of two of _th"e greatest' European Powers, besides two brave little nations—Belgium land Servia. But we are fighting a foe as mighty as it is ruthless, and which had evidently been preparing for some time to strike-a sudden, and smashing blow. Tho British Empire is now called upon to put forth all its strength. This is the opinion of responsible personages, such as Mr. Asquith, Lord Kitchener, Mr. Churchill, and Lord' Roberts. "The British democracy," says Mr. Churchill, "is now in a deadly grapple with the formidable might of Prussian autocratic rule." It is the greatest crisis which the Empire has experienced since the downfall of Napoleon, and jt is facing the danger in an admirable spirit. The desperate character of the fighting has impressed us all with the fact that a great war under modern conditions cannot bo fought and won by a policy of halfmeasures, ■ but only by smashing blows'. It requires a huge force to cope with the great armies of Austria and Gormany. The Imperial Government fully recognises this fact, and it is quite clear that no part of the Empire can to relax its efforts until Gorman aggres-

stead of lessening our efforts, we will probably have to increase them. No. British community has shpwn the slightest tendency to murmur or hold back. The feeling is all the other way. We realise now as never before that our national existence is at stake, and we pwx: that existence enough to defend jfc with all our might. This is no figure of speech— it is a simple statement of fact. The Australian Prime Minister has told the people of the Commonwealth that they must be prepared to take up their share of the without flinching from the saorifice involved. New Z«uanders have already proved in more ways than one that they have no intention of flinching. They have done all that has been required of them, and done it thoroughly and enthusiastically; and they are ready and willing to respond with equal enthusiasm to the next call whenever it comes. That it will come now scorns certain. 'As long as the war lasts New Zealand will do her part in it. If one contingent is not enough, we must send another, and another after that if necessary. The Minister of Defence says we have more than enough men for a second contingent, and he is certainly right when he states that as soon as it is known that more men may be required there will bo hundreds of volunteers. It is our duty to keep our Expeditionary Force up to the standard, and to 'make good any wastage that may take place. The first mission entrusted to New Zealanders in connection with thft present war has been successfully accomplished, and our soldiers are eager to go wherever the Imperial authorities may direct. We are realising more fully every day the tremendousness of the issues at stake. The fact that British troops are in the thick of the fight,' and the daily record of their gallantry in the field are bringing home to us a keener and a truer understanding of our responsibilities inthis great world struggle.