FOR THE EMPIRE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 75, 25 September 1914, Page 6

FOR THE EMPIRE

" Time was, not so very long ago, when the sight of troopships in a New Zealand harbour denoted the arrival of troops from the Old Country. To-day the story is reversed," said the Governor yesterday to the troops at Newtown Park. Half a century ago British regiments were fighting rebellious tribes of Natives in the North Island ; Jmperial soldiers came over 12,000 miles to establish peace and prosperity for their kinsmen in the years to follow. Time was when some of Britain's statesmen — and large sections of the British public — regarded these islands as a troublesome burden, not worth the cost of occupation. Those objectors to far-flung frontiers had not the long vision of wise Empire-builders. They perceived only the inconvenience and cost of nurturing an infant colony; they did not project their minds to a time when the new members of the Imperial family would be not only self-supporting, but would have men and treasure to spare for the Mother Country, without waiting to be sued for maintenance. Today the Maoris, who have not lost that bravery which aroused Britons' admiration years ago, are eager to fight beside pakeha comrades in Europe. The two races have long been one in high purpose, the ideal of a great New Zealand, prosperous but not weakened in moral fibre by good fortune. Both races are keen to work and fight' for a New Zealand which will continue to have the hearty respect and good-will of the sister States— a New Zealand which will be a worthy member of the greatest Imperial family in the world's history. "Citizen soldiers, stand fast, stand fast for the honour of the King, for the glory of the flag, for the credit of your country, and for the traditions of the Imperial race to which you belong," said the Premier, and these inspiring words should be long remembered. Each soldier of the legion has something better than a marshal's baton in his knapsack , each has in himself something to help 'in strengthening the mighty British Empire's foundations. Napoleon improved the fighting quality of his soldiers and officers by words which excited hopes of personal gains and fame. There was always the appeal for France, but the selfish element was never overlooked. New Zealand's people have no need to speak of material rewards to their stalwart sons. The young men have that zeal for service, that force, that will and ths power of achievement, which spring from pride of ryce, and their love of an Empire renowned among all races for its even justice to people of all colours and creeds. Parts of the Empire, for reasons which The Post has often discussed, have restrictions against Asiatic immigrants, but when the aliens are admitted they are protected against persecution; no crime against them is condoned. Britain's genius for successful colonising has been one of the greatest possible benefits to the whole world, and New Zealand's citizen soldiers are to help Britain to hold her place as the supreme power for peace and general prosperity among the nations. The Pax Britannica has to be maintained by the Power Imperial— and here New Zealand gladly and proudly has her part. " Men, we have given you the beet of our officers. Officers, we have given you the best of our men, and we entrust them to your care," said the Hon. James Allea. The simple truth of these words j was felt by the many thousands of citizens who saw yesterday's marching. The swinging lines of that sturdy, cheerful manhood thrilled the vast assembly at the Park. One could go the length of this country and fail to find better men; New Zealand has given of her best. That gift is the strong expression of the whole country's will, and the people's zeal ; it is a splendid symbol of the Empire's strength and of Britain renewing her youth. The world sees the Mother Country in command of the sea, and formidable on land, and her grownup family is hastening to her aid. New Zealand's volunteers have every good wish that the whole public can give. r Perhaps in the time to come, during intervals of fighting, when memory unrolls its scroll, and faces and facts are flashed through the mind, the citizen soldiers will have their best comfort, best encouragement, and best stimulus, in remembering the confidence of New Zealand's women, and their kindness. Since the preceding paragraphs were written, the departure of the Expeditionary Force has been postponed, and the public may have another opportunity «.o tee th* troop* exeicieed beforo Uiey 1 cet out for Europe,

FRENCH'S WAR DESPATCH " The battle of the Marne, which lasted from the morning of the 6th (September) to the evening of the 10th, had hardly ended in the precipitate flight of the enemy whea we were brought face to face with a position of extraordinary strength, carefully entrenched a.nd for defence by an army and staff which are thorough adepts in such work." In this sentence Field-Marshal Sir John French summarises the events from the victory of the Marne up to the battle of the Aisne — which, at latest accounts, i« still indecisive. Sir John French's despatch compares interestingly with the letter bf a German soldier, quoted in it. Anticipations concerning the events leading up to the battle of the Marne are confirmed by the German soldier's statement that his army corps "advanced too rapidly," and by his suggestion that the corps, terribly weakened as it was after three great battles, should not have been "sent against a position which the enemy had prepared for three weeks." An immediate result was that the Germans' advance against a retreating foe was converted into a "precipitate flight" by the Germans back along their own tracks. The la«t quoted words are those of Sir John French, but they are quite in keeping with the German soldier's admission that "our morale was absolutely broken." Just as the Franco-British retreat ended at the prepared line of the Marne, so has the German flight terminated, for the present, at the prepared line north of the Aisne. This means that the German raid into France and back again has been an affair of give and take, and a strong presumption is that the defenders have given far more than- they have taken. So far as the battle of the Aisne is concerned, the British, with difficulty, won holding ground north of the river, and up to the date of Sir John French's despatch (18th September) their main task was to maintain their position. Addressing his soldiers, Sir John. French said : "I feel sure we have only to hold on with tenacity to the ground we have won for a very short time longer, when the Allies will be again in full pursuit of the beaten enemy." So far, the latter prediction has not been fulfilled in the cable news permitted to reach us, but an instalment has been achieved, as the Allies have made gradual advances. "All along the line," says The /Times, "the signs are hopeful. At all points there are indications of advantages gained." Concerning the heavy artillery, which figures in the despatch of Sir John French and in the letter of the German soldier, one point —previously noted — that should not be lost sight of is that while big guns on concrete beds in prepared lines are a tower of strength so long as the position continues defensible, they are an embarrassment and often a serious weakness when the time arrives for retreating. If the German generals are able to use the lino of the Aisne, Oise, and Meuse as a position from which to "start afresh our victorious march on Paris" — 'to use the phrase of the German soldier — then the big guns have their distinct advantages. In the event of a retreat, however, the transport problem will very likely lead either to abandonment or to disaster. It happens that to-day's cablegrams record the opinions of French officers that "the Germans would have retreated before now, but for the condition of the roads rendering it impossible to transport heavy cannon." The reliance of the Germans upon the highangle fire of heavy howitzers is empha-' sised by Sir John French, and is confirmed by the German soldier's lament concerning the heavy artillery being left at Maubeuge whan it was needed at the Marne. But the fact was that the Germans advanced so rapidly to tho Marne that neither guns nor supplies could maintain proper touch with them. At the Aisne the Maubeuge guns (vide Sir John French's report) arrived in time to help the Germans to make their big stand j and the question whether this is to end in another German advance, or in a perilous retreat, is still undetermined. Petrograd states that there are 22 German army corps in the eastern theatre and only 18 in the western. That suggests that the offensive a"gainst France is in abeyance ; and as the British reinforcements come to hand the Germans will find a defensive line in hostile country increasingly difficult to maintain, and more and more liable to flank and rear interruptions.