"WOULD STAGGER THE PUBLIC."

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2618, 13 November 1915, Page 9

"WOULD STAGGER THE PUBLIC."

FIGURES FOR RECRUITING SATISFACTORY MR. HARCOURT SAYS NO NEED FOR DEPRESSION. Mr. Lewis Horoourt, M.P. arid an exCab met Minister, speaking at'Rawtenstall on September 13, said. that there was nothing depressing in the situation of the Allies at the present time,'after the passage of 13 months. In appealing that night for more volunteers for the Forces, they were not doing so "with a eh ado of reproach 'or dissatisfaction with what had been done m 'the past. ' Daily and weekly recruiting was on the whole satisfactory. If he wore at liberty to give the numbers enlisted since tho commencement of the war lie believed tha,t they would stagger tho people of this country and thcee of our Allies, but still more men wcvo wanted.

A Month Hence. No wise man prophesies in war, even if ho thinks he knows. Ho would not ill that respect depart from the path of wisdom, but it would be a surprise to tho most. accurate observer if it did rat turn out to be true that by the end of next month tho German effort had reached its maximum, and thenceforth there was amongst our enemies a decline in the efficiency of their effort and offensive.

There had, he went on, been an unfortunate—he had almost said an unpatriotic—tendency in a portion of our Press to belittle the magnitude of the assistance we had rendered to our Allies. Such an attitude was as mischievous as it was untrue. Our Fleet had performed prodigies of valour all over the world. On sea and on land valour had been so universal as to make the Viotoria Cross almost common. ■ (Cheers.') The piracy of the enemy submarine, though it had shocked the civilised world in its callous disregard of noncombatants' lives, had produced no sensible effect' on. our inward or outward shipping or the carriage of food and munitions to our shores, or the transport'of Jour troops. The enemy's air raids had failed miserably in any military success. The' determination of the people was undaunted and undismayed. It was their great resolve by a final to achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace; . Lord Dorby's Confidence, Lord Derby had been, announced to address the gathering, but was unable to attend owing to an attack of influenza. In a telegram he stated that he greatly wished to have been present to express his confidence in the Government. He felt that the question of the honour and prestige of England was safe in their'hands, and that they would relax no • effort to bring the war to a successful issue. He was quite confident to leave the determination as to when national service was necessary in their hands. ■