THE CALL TO ARMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2673, 20 January 1916, Page 9

THE CALL TO ARMS

APPEAL BY PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA. The following is the text of the appeal to men of military age and capacity issued by the Hon. W. M. Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, last ' month: — COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA. THE CALL TO ARMS. Prime Minister, . December 15, 1915: _ Dear Sir,—Tho present state of war imperatively demands that the exercise of the full strength of the Empire and its Allies should be put forth. In this way oniy can speedy victory be achieved and lasting peace secured. •If those rights and privileges for which Australian democracy has strug--80 lon S an d values dearer than life itself are to be preserved, Prussian military despotism must be crushed once and for all. ■The resources of the Allies are more than adequate for this task, but they must be ■ marshalled. To wage this war with less thaji our full .strength is to commit national suicide by slowly bleeding to death. Our soldiers have done great things in this war. They carved for Australia a niche in the Temple of the Immortals. Those who have died fell gloriously, but had the number of our forces been doubled, many brave lives would have ' been spared, the Australian armies would long ago have been camping in Constantinople, and the world war would nave been practically over, We must put forth all our strength. The more men Australia sends to the front the less the danger will be to eaoh man. Not only victory, but safety belongs to the big battalions. Australia turns to you for help. We 1 /'r,m more ■ . IDE ' n ' l'ifty thousand (oOjOOCI) additional troops are to bo raised to form new units of the Expeditionary Forces. Sixteen thousand (i 6,000) men are required each month tor reinforcements at the front. This Australia of ours, tho freest and best country on God's earth, calls to her sons for aid. Destiny has given to you a great opportunity. Now is the you can strike a. blow on her beliau. If you love your country, if you love freedom, then take your place alongside your fellow-Australians at the front, and help them to achieve a speedy and glorious victory. On behalf of the Commonwealth Government, and in the name of tho people Australia, I ask you to answer "Yes"' to this appeal, and to do your part in this greatest war of all time.— Yours truly, (Sgd.) W. M. HUGHES, Prime Minister of Australia.