WAKE UP AUSTRALIA!

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 245, 4 July 1918, Page 6

WAKE UP AUSTRALIA!

NAVAL OFFICER'S PLAIN TALK

HUN AGENTS SUSPECTED

From a hundred platforms in Australia, lieutenant Walter Marks, ■K.W.V.U., frcSh from the North Sea, lias urged tho people to awaken to the lull seriousness of the present position.. Alter rt second strenuous.recruiting tour of Queensland, where, he addressed as many as 6000 people, and never less than aOfl nt one meeting, and upon the cvu ot_ his departure from Austrniia to rejom his ship in tho war zone, he in Jgam tryiiw to hammer home tho position as he has seen it. On his recruiting tour ho addressed over 50,0(10 people, tind had tho satisfaction of witnessing as ii result of bis appeals the enlistment of hundreds ol men.

. .Everywhere," lie said in an interview given to the "Sydney Morning Herald," I. had wonderful hearings. tion at (he hands of (he unionists was magnificent. The Labour men are all Tight; they are loyal; the disloyalists amongst them are only a minority. I addressed many nvfetings in Brisbane, Jpsivicli, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Eoclcnampton, and at 'l'oowooml)a, with the March for Freedom men. There I finish«l ray tour. Those marches are a splendid idea of Mr. Orchard; they arouso great-enthusiasm, and bring in many men. While there had been, huge audiences and great enthusiasm, but in many cases no direct results, the seed is being sown. The March for Freedom-, ah Toowoomba brought in over 20 men in two days; but it is not twenties we want, it is the thousands that we want if Australia is to keep in the war zone in the cause of freedom. , "Largo numbers of returned soldiers come up and enlist. It is sickening that these men should have to go back; but 1 ' M , r . * ho - v must - as the eligible.* will not shift. Sometimes I feel that nothing wil move them. . Many married men with large families-Hiieii with three wounded stripes ahd three and a half years service-have re-enlisted. The nil-v or it! bcores of fine young ir.en of IS years have expressed their keenness to ?o, and something should be done, with their parents - consent, to set these lads into camp for physical training, for they feel their position very keenly. Another point is the ■ diffidence of returned and. rejected men to wear their medallions. I euireat every one of them i> year these budges of honour as an example j 0 those around them that they liave m one cast served the' Empire, anil in the other case have offered themselves tor lung and country and in defence of their women's honour.

Disloyalty and Pro-Germanism. "What is keeping the eligibles back* 1 am certain hie main factor is the enemy within and pro-German and disloyal sentiments. " A Mk e . eneffl y keeps pushing us back on tho Western front, the enemy within and his follows are becoming darin* *<l coming out of their,hiding places. Ihe open disloyalty of ascertain minor:tv is most marked. Hero are'a few illustrations:-At Maryborough 'Show, ™h thousands around the ring, I marched at the head, under the Union Jack, ot a most pathetic procession of women jvno have given their men to tho country, and wnat of-our reception? Apart li'orn a tew handclaps, wo received halfsuppressed jeers, laughter, and gestures of ridicule. This was an insult to those dear women with their breaking hearts. This was an insult to me, representing they great British Navy, which, at that very moment, was standing guard over Australia, and even allowing them In be present at their show. -U Bnndabew on Red Cross Day a woman with a colleeung-box asked a man for a donaii j t . 11,sui '«l '"«. and said, 'Why should I give j OII anything Why we areinciting against you!' At liockhampton, when some of my stojf were speaking before me, some men were runTV m } , ; ehlI «! thii.speaking pUtform in'the dark, yelling out insulting remarks. Ihe resriiiimg officer, who had seen much service, and who in „ few clays was to undergo an operation for ap-< pendicitis, hud liie nose and lips smashed by a-Him m the crowd. Manv refused 2 ™ lse , tlle "; ! ll ; ls to our National Anhem. In Brisbane, one of the large calco recruiting posters was slashed with Mines; disloyn and anti-recruiting not co, were dis ributed, and recruiting no- , Ic £." l , the . tr; >»>s'torn down. This in J -British colony. r2 1? H l 0" il: t0 °'° 0,,? IOIKT w-Mi the authorities countenance it ? Drastic action must bb taken at once by the Federal and State Governments to stamp out this traitorous conduct and hindrance to recr.iiting, high and low wherever it is found; otherwise I fear there will be trouble-, perhaps riots, perhaps bloodshled. Tho temper of returned men and of other loyal citizens is Incoming ominous, as they say they will not stick this insult to. themselves and i to the wives and families of their mates J) t the front, who are fighting for the only peace worth having, and for the preservation of the democracy of the world,against this de.-ilish and murderous Hun military autocracy. Is not the at-' titudo of returned soldiers in ihe Sydney Domain a few days ago a whiff of smoke as lo what may happen? I am delighted to see that the Fcdara! and State Governments have at last made a move in this matter. Thn true loyal Labour men t-f Australia should welcome this action, being as it is a support of the 75 per cent, of the A.I.F? who are unionists, at the front.

' It is a striking coincidence that tho awful slump in Australia's α-ecruiting, the apathy ami indifference of our cligibles—the disloyal utterances-great cleavage in union circles, etc., should all coincide with the groat enemy offensive on the Western and Italian fronts, with tho appearance of enemy submarines- off New York, and with the renewed trouble in Ireland. I'hinV il out, people of Australia, and 'wake up/ Is' it not part and pinxel of the great andwonderful Hu.i organisation , ? J fear so. Doe 3 anything more resemble Nero fiddling while Rome burns, than Australia at the present time? There is prosperity everywhere. Her great cities, liw line shops, her theatres and picture shows all full, and races with record attendances. And apparently the on; thought of our eligible men is iimiME-ment, and whether they can pick tho winner, and this nl a timo when our Empire is receiving crushing Wows, and the democracy of tho world is threatened with the enemy at our gates. Australia, Wake Up!

"People of Australia, wake up; the enemy will not wait. Eligible men oi Australia, rush to the flag und to the help of your mates calling for help. 1 feel that tho women of Australia could .settle this matter of recruiting, and send the eligiblos, if they would refuse to cook food for, or serve it to, any eligible man, and would refuse to go out with any eligible man, who. to-day, should bt on the o.ther side helping; his mates who are fighting for their and our very existence. Women of Australia, hcln tin-.-lighting men by bringing your influence to bear on Hie 800,(100 yet to go. Why should women be served in a siiop with it yard.of lace by a mail who,'to-day, should be handling a gun. in del'onc. of your honour? The'women have al ! rendy done wtmders, but further and greater effort for your country is urgently necessary. Having in mind the serious position facing us, Mr. Lloyd George's messages, and the King's recent cabled message—Wo aro hard pre&ed; help us—l. ,I'eel l.hnt tho .timo has arrived in each Stale for all parties to bury their present contentions and differences until after the ivur, and stand hand-iu-haml to beat a common foe.

"Without delay the Governor, the Premier, the. leader oF the Opposition, unci heads of churches should come togethei at once, and tour their States, and awaken the people to tho serious position in which wo stand to-day at the luinds ol the enemy, and send forward the necessary reinforcements. I cannot speak too highly of the great work of Mr. Orchard find of his practical uomincm-.sensp ideas, his unbounded enthusiasm and eneoiirairemrnt in our licarlhivakin,? efforts, and also the splendid work of tho. relumed officers and men who compose his stall'. H* and they must receive every simpor. in this great work for Australia.' ;md tlm Empire."