FACTS FOR THE FAINTHEARTS

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 18, 20 July 1918, Page 4

FACTS FOR THE FAINTHEARTS

10 THE EDITOR. Sir, —The Post is to be- heartily congratulated on the excellent and bracing tono of its article in last night's issue. May I add-to what was there so well said that our Expeditionary Force represents our spirit of unity with Britain and the Allies and our faith in the cause for which they fight as nothing else possibly can, not even—begging Sir Thomas Mackenzie's pardon—the despatch of greater quantities of produce at highly remunerative war prices, prepaid. The force is our soul in the war, and the extent of the sacrifice which we are prepared to make to keep that force up to full strength is the barometer by which the world—and certain observant nations in it —may know the intensity and depth of our national, interest in. the war and the fibre of which we are made. On the manner in which we acquit ourselves till the end of the war depends most certainly, and in, ways wo probably little dream of to-day, our future as a nation and our independence as a people. Be it well remembered that apart from our contributions in N men, we are making no sacrifices for the cause for which England and France are bleeding to death; the war and our ability and willingness to-drive hard bargains have otherwise conferred on us unexampled benefits of a material character.

■ The majority of the arguments of the materialistic party who favour "pulling out," which are now so loudly advanced, would, it may be pointed out, have been just as plausible in 1914 as they seem in July, 1918. In 1914, and for long afterwards, we thought the war a matter of raontlu only, and our public men might have then said, with as much truth as to-day, that the number of soldiers we could possibly send could have no considerable effect on the final decision, that men could be better spared, more quickly trained, equipped, and more readily despatched from the other side of the world than from New Zealand, and that it would therefore be more patriotic for us to concentrate on our war profiteering in produce than to send men. But what public man would have dared to suggest such a thing, or if he had dared, would have survived popular indignation? And why? Because the Expeditionary Force was, more than anything else, the practical symbol of the stern intention of our little nation to see the war through side by side with the Mother Country, and her great Allies, and of our willingness to make sacrifice to the utmost of our means. It is good, when so many waver, to remember how unanimous that high resolve was in 1914, and for long afterwards. To-day, in 1918, aro we less sure of the righteousness of our cause, less.attached to Britain and her Allies, less grateful to them for protection, less fearful and distrustful of Germany than we were in 1914? Only by an answer in the affirmative can we justify any weakening of our attitude of 1914. The 'unflinching sacrificial spirit of that year, and afterwards, is the most splendid and noble possession wo have, and is to-day the only hopeful light in the gloom of materialism and . selfishness through which we are stumbling. Let us not forget that if we fail to follow that light we fall, despite our loudest protestations of loyalty, below the level of a money-grabbing neutral. Again, have we, who unhesitatingly accepted the unselfish devotion'and sac- '• rifice of thousands of voluntary recruits,. and who then cheerfully passed the J Military Service Act, which has called up thousands of other men, have we, j who have made no sacrifices, but for four years have lived abnormally sheltered and prosperous lives, while a great, part of the world withered in agony and privation, have we the moral right to vote ourselves out of the war in order to make money out of those who continue in it? Is it not a breach of faith with our dead ? Is their spirit of noble sacrifice and trust \in their country's staunchness, untainted as it was with ever so slight a touch of materialism, to have no power, over us? . If we are to fail, let us at least'be honest with ourselves, with the Mother Country, and with our Allies. Let us not clothe ourselves with poisonous hypocrisy, and pretend that ugly materialism is really beautiful patriotism in a strange guise ; and. above all, let vis cease dropping hints through the High Commissioner and otherwise, that- we want, our vices officially branded with noble titles.—-f am, etc., 1914. 18t!i July.