A BOOMERANG FOR THE HUNS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 58, 1 December 1917, Page 6

A BOOMERANG FOR THE HUNS

GENERAL SMUTS ON AIR REPRISALS

"WE HAVE NO LONGER ANY

CHOICE "

General Smuts, the member of the War Cabinet who keeps in direct touch with the air service, was entertained at luncheon at the Oouuaught Rooms, London, by tho Associated Chambers of Commerce on a recent occasion, and devoted a portion of his Bpeech to the uir raids and reprisals. "Aerial warfaro against the defenceless is now tho German weaDoii," he said, "and I venture to predict that this will not only fail but prove a terrible boomerang to the enemy." (Cheers.) After referring to the failure of the Zeppelins, he pointed out that' we took up the problem of daylight raids, and that since laat July no daylight raid had taken place on London. "They might come again," he wont on, "but I am sure if thoy do they will get tho reception thoy deserve. Now tho onoiny has taken up night attacks, and they may conceivably increase in tlio future. Wo are alive to these new facts and the difficulty of meeting them adequately. We have set about the defence of London on novel lines, and with some measure of success. Recently London has been visited sometimes by as many as 20 machines a night, yet only one or two have reaHy been able to get through.

"The publio may rest assured that nothing will be left undone which will tend to the more complete proteotion of tins great nerve centre of the Empire, as well as other places likely to be visited by enemy machines. The Government appreciate to tho full the calmness and heroism displayed by the bulk of tho people under the circumstances. It is no use minimising the danger caused by these raids, but at the same time it is the worst possible policy to exaggerate them. You know," ho continued, "that the material result o*f those raids is absolutely negligible to the loss of life. Our air policy has been entirely different from tliat of the oncmy. It has been our main and constant object to obtain and maintain military predominance and to bomb only military objectives anil naval bases of all sorts. Last ainnth our naval and military aeroplanes dropped 207 tons of bombs beInid the enemy lines. In the same period tho enemy dropped 4} tons of Bombs on London. We dropped in 23 days 190 tons oil enemy bases,_ chiefly on St. Denis Westrem and Ghistellesr, Betting "Hangars and sheds on fire and damaging his machines, and pitting his aerodromes with shells. We also bomffeci his railway sidings, causing him very neavy losses. ■

"Hitherto we have as far as possible avoided using aeroplanes as engines oi destruction and terrorism against the civil population of tho enemy countries. The enemy, on the contrary, has from the very beginning devoted his aircraft to all kinds of non-military uses. First with tho Zeppelins, ana now with the aeroplanes, "he is conducting a campaign of ruthless terrorism agaiust undefended towns and populous centres which have no direct military value at all. Indeed, one cannot but come to the conclusion that the Germans in their air raids are avoiding objects of direct military value. Invariably they attack tho residential quarters in London, and not its outside arsenals and fortifications, or even its docks and such places of direct military importanco, except very occasionally and as it woro by mistake. I imagine the object of all this calculativo brutality has been to strike terror into tho hearts of tho civilian population, and destroy the morale by every moans, however abominable, and consequently force us to take our British machines from the front for the defence of London and for home uses. In both those objects they havo miserably failed. Mcanwhilo a temper is growing in this country which tho Government will have to reckon with seriously in settling our air policy, and it will not bo the people of this country who wil, be to blame for any intensification oi the horrors of war. Wo are dealing with an enemy whose culturo has not carried .him beyond the rudiments oi the Mosaic Law, and to whom you can only apply the maxim of 'An oyo for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' (Cheers.).

"On that principle we nro now most reluctantly forced to apply to him th 6 bombing policy which he has applied to us, and I am afraid we have no longei any choico in tho matter. Allow me, however, to emphasise two points: "Firstly, we did not begin this business of bombing industrial and populous centres. The enemy began th 6 practice, as they began the use of poison gas and many other contraventions of international law. We have been most reluctantly forced to follow suit after a long delay, which has seriously tried the patienco of the British people. "Secondly, I look upon these developments of the art of war as being both bad and immoral. While Ido not feai them when they are forced upon me, yot I should unquestionably have preferred that both sides should desist from such cruel practices. We shall do our host to avoid abominations, and in onr air offensive we shall use every endeavour to spare as far as possible tho innocent and defenceless. _> "Without being an optimist and with a full appreciation of the obscurities and uncertainties and dangers wheh nurround us, I believe essentially and in the deepest sense that the war ( is won, and that German autocracy will bo beaton by military and economic efforts which will in tho end prove invincible." With one or two exceptions the enemy was everywhere on the defensive, overywhore slowly retiring before us. On the Western front, where the flower of the German army is gathered to-day, one continuous retirement had been proceeding from th 6 summer of last year. It was slow, but sure. On that line the manhood of Germany was slowly bleeding to death. "To defeat Germany we need not advance to tlio Rhine nor to her frontiers," ho remarked. "1 assure you long Tjeforo wo have reached the German frontier or the lino of the Rhine Germany will have sued for peace." Touching also on the submarine question, Ee said, "Whatever tho dangora of the submarine, they have ceased to be trie decisive factor. That 'you can take from me as bed-rock facts. (Applause.) The published figures show that the submarine is being fought with raptdly increasing vigour and success, and what with diminishing losses and with our rapidly extending shipbuilding programme here and in America, wo we confidently looking forward to tho timo when our mercantile tonnage will Be on tho increase instead of decreasing. There was a time when we had grave doubts, but that time is past, j The submarine is beaten by the silent I TTeroism of the Navy and the bravery I of our mercantile marine." (Applause.)

General Smuts concluded a memorable oration by a tribute to tho spirit of tho people. "Wliat is required of you," he declared, "is unalterable determination to hold on and to see the struggle through, not in any selfish lm pcrialist spirit, but in the conviction that this is Armageddon, in which the power of militarism must bo slain for ever. "What is required of your political leaders is calmness and foresight, wittl wisdom to avoid all false moves in friis last decisive phase of the struggle, and moderation which will not prolong this agony ono moment bevonc) what is necessary. With.the people and tho leaders understanding and co-operating on that high moral basis,. I have absolutely no doubt of tho result." . (Loud cheers.)'