WINNING THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3114, 19 June 1917, Page 6

WINNING THE WAR

g;,. —There- are few people not longim; and ho]Hupr lor the end of the war. It lnav be this yoar. Can the nnisn bo lon'sor delayed? Ouo of tho most cheorini* 'rrniar'ks concerning this •"'fjiiestion was marie by the Minister of Defence at Auckland aid reported in jour columns

yesterday morning. Sir James Allen not an optimist. He is too thoughtful, and too serious a statesman to take too; rosy a view »f the situation, '.they are no friends of the war-winning spirit who, say that tho war will last another two or three years, observed Sir James, and; "personally, J. think," continued the Minister, "there is a fair chance of tho war. ending victoriously this year." That is. the faith not only of a statesman who desires to see the enemy beaten, but or! u man anxious to see a conflict ended that i.s not only devastating Eurone, bu« destroying the live* of many dear to tho hearts of our owii citizens. The Min* ister of Defence did not enlighten u» upon what ho based his hopes and opinion. On that score he certainly knowi more than ho would willingly erpross. Ho sees, however, the credit of the enemy: falling in tho markets of his few friends and neutrals. He realises how anxious the German war lords are to arranga a separate peace with the weakest of tho Allies—Bussia. These are ominous signs. With the German mark at nearly fifty per cent, below pre-war rates the indement of the world is fast reading into Genua n finance a condition of bank-i ru'ptcy. And although the state of Bus--?ia is at present hopeless for an immc diate offensive, yet the heart of the Eus< sian people is sound as regards makins no peace with the enemy of democracy! and civilisation. "I; too," observes Sit , James, "I too, have not lost hope of Bus-" siti coming in azain before the voar is closed." But with a determination that; i.s inspiring, our Minister of Defence clares that our preparation!, must be mad« in such adequate strength ,in finance and. industry as will enable us to continue the war until it is finished with victory; to our arms. . These war observations of the Minister will find si ready response in every loyal heart in this Dominion. They arc tha sentiment? of every patriotic spirit. Siii James doe.3 not always do himself jus- , tice. It has been the complaint that ha. has not taken the people more into his confidence. Yet when he takes occasion , to speak, tho utterances of the ActingPrime Minister ring true and are reechoed throughout the length, and breadth of New Zealand. This attitude towards tho work of the British people in their great part of endeavouring to subdue the enemies of civilisation i» characteristic of our ablest men. Eetn cence is their fault. Consequently un-> worthy and unjust criticism pursiii'S them.' How grateful we ought to be, therefore, to the Minister of Defend when, he discloses the personal hopes and fears on a matter that is the dailv topics of all our conversation! AThile th« wicked Kaiser is still holding his mailed fist first in power, and his Almigbtr se'eond in place, to conquer , Europe and bring the Allies to accept his terms even! to the restoration of that subtle, un--scrupulous and dethroned Constantino, tho German Emperor must know tliaß the end is rapidly approaching. ;lhc con-" dition of his neople with their broken, sorrowing, and hopeless spirits, is noB unknown to the great war lord. A re-r-ent visitor from Germany informed "The Times" that the people's hope -of! victory has gone. Once they believed Germany would triumph over the whole world. "That belief has given place to ono that. Germany is now fighting foP her existence. There is tremendous anxiety as to tho issue throughout' all classes". Even the women , engaged in war work have lost their enthusiasm. On reading these observations we arc' forced to the conclusion that the .German iico-> plo are beginning to fear the inevitable. When the lack of enthusiasm" for wau gives place to the knowledge of certain inability to win. Germany as a nationwill no longer fear tho sevo.ritv of tho Kaiser's rule, no longer will they have faith in liis "will to victory." Wo know!

Germany cannot novr win the war, anil the question is: Tlow lonp will it bo before (ho tliurftjwinjr blows of the Allies take to brinpr ihat knowledge to the ac-< c.entance of the toman nation? If Germany cannot bo beaten this jear wc will not hesitate to continue tho. war. New Zealand has dono_ noblr Eβ far. Let not any party or section in tho body politic obtrude its petty interests, backed by personal ambitions, to check, hinder, or retard tho noble work -whichl. the Dominion, under the National Gov* eminent, has set itself to accomplish* Our sons are doinc their part in a manner that brings honour to their birthland, the country is proud of immortal Klory of their deeds. They are a credit) to their fathers. Let this work so on with the same spirit and enthusiasm that has marked it hitherto, and that, uninterrupted by petty jealousies andi^

meanly-invented dissensions among our-i selves." That is the way to trine the end we all desire so niticU the nearer. For the sake of our own tranquillity and fot' the sake of the peace of the world there must be no peace without victory— com« Tilele victory. President AVilson's recent utterance on the aims of the Allies and .America's determination to fight till theso righteous and just'.aims are accomplished must have infused new life and force into any drooping heart and pelled all despondency. The Engljsh-i speaking world will neither be cowed by! the frightfulness of the Hun in Europe nor driven iron) its purpose l>y the mur< derers of. our; women and innocent chili dren. These desperate acts are those OB a people feeling the tightening of the iron grip of the Allied armies. Ferocity of an enemy ha? never yet quelled tha British spirit. Even distracted Russia' is suspicious of the manoeuvres of an" enemy whose leaders know their doom when they speak of peace and seek t<v divide the' Allies. Sir "Douglas Haig has assured ws of the faith he has of the New Zealandevs. whose moral is abova' suspicion. The Allied armies, from whaN ever clime, have displayed an invincible will to tight to the end. Britain, Anier-" ioa. France, and Italy, to say nothing o5 the other Allies, are tu entire agrees ment. To them the necessity to conquett and the faith to win are one and the same thing. That this consummation is within their power to accomplish is the best assurance we have of the end not being far distant. let us not be diverted by any trivial act or policy of any party from doing our national part in a. united national spirit.—l am, etc.. J.D.S.