The Evening Star. FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1915.

Evening Star, Issue 15797, 7 May 1915, Page 4

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1915.

Has it ever occurred to any among us at

this hour, when '" news of "!f Britain battle" is ringing down Faiis?" ' the streets, and when the long casualty lists that are displayed on the hoardings and in the Press are those of our own youths, who, some six months ago, went gaily forth to war, to pause and ask ourselves the question : What if Britain fails? If not, we suggest that it would be well to remember that the words used by Mr Lloyd George in the House of Commons may be repeated, relatively, with the same force and pertinence in Dunedin and Otago as in England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, who, next to the Prime Minister, has, since the blight-of war fell upon the earth', so frequently spoken the right word at the right moment—in passing, we may remark that it has been the privilege of Mr George to introduce the most sensational and revolutionary Budgets in history; the Sauls that have preceded him at the Treasury slew their tens of millions, but this David handles more lightly his hundreds of millions— touched in his recent Budget speech upon the bitter controversy of the Drink Question and the ignoble inaction of a section of workers. With these two particular charges we. at this end of the Empire, are not intimately concerned, save as citizens of that Empire. There is no definite or pressing need for drastic action in Xew Zealand respecting the sale and traffic in drink, and there is no failure on the part of the workers to respond to any special calls that have been made upon their services. The Dominion's interest and concern are, however, based upon a similar cause to that which has sent a thrill of anxiety throughout the Mother Land. There are in this City and elsewhere large numbers who are wholly indifferent, to and ignorant -of their individual responsibility in this time of personal and national crisis. They go about their daily tasks and participate in their customary relaxations as though their business and pleasure must go on as usual. They even resent the continued references that are made to the war. Dr John Clifford, the eminent Baptist divine, a few Sundays ago told his congregation that one business man had boasted to him that "he never'reads anything about the war now." Xr,: : that it is necessary to go to London by way of illustration. " We recall ; in esteemed Christian minister in this City telling his congregation that one of them had told him the preceding week that he would only come hack to church when he (the preacher) ceased to talk of war in the pulpit. We believe there are many such people among us; it is they who hold fantastic views on the faith they profess but do not understand, and who by their complacent assumption that they alone are the possessors of some singular gift of divine illumination, are dangerous advisers .at an hour when all that is best and worthiest in the community should ha devoted to one common service.

Of the capable youth, many of whom, doubtless, exercised their votes in favor of a Saturday half-holiday, who attend boxing competitions, who are to be met-and seen inanely laughing on the public streets but who will not volunteer, of tho mothers who tell you with an air of surprise, wuich is pitiful in its sincerity, "Oh, I could not think of letting my boy go"; as well as of the man who, like the cynic oE old, "care for none- of these Wangs "-of al] such ifc can said that they, unconsciously for the most part, are an ever-present; menace to the safety of the Empire. It i 6 a reflection upon the community as a. whole that it is possible to write in this strain. Tho youth of Gtagc—we make allowance for special conditions and circumstances—are not rising to the opportunities that are theirs. There has never been in tho history of civilised mankind a more magnificent cause for which to livo and fight, ami., if need b*, die, than that now the young manhood of the Empire. Yet, how poor the response. A section of our youth " is not taking any," and a section of our elders is not reading anything more about tho war. It is these we would ask: If Britain fails, what then? And we may fail. There are only two alternatives. The ' Spectator says: "Either we must end the war or tho war will end us." Tho question therefore is: Which? There can be no possible evasion of the issue. "At the "end of this war we shall either be the "vassals of tho German military caste, "drunk with success, or we shall have " broken Militarism for ever." Again the speaker is the Chancellor, and again our comment is: Do wo as a people grasp the full meaning of Mr Lloyd George's significant warning?

This is the question that is being asked in America to-day, but " Must We Co not for the first time. To War?" Ite immediate cause is

the torpedoing of the United States steamer Gulflight, an act of German piracy and murder on the high seas that has called forth a repetition of those passionate Press outbursts to which the world has become accustomed, and of which the chief personage concerned (President Wilson) takes absolutely no notice' The ' New York Herald,' the paper asking the question, adds that the present is not a time for diplomatic exchanges. We claim no inner or superior knowledge of American sentiment, but we have little hesitation in saying that America will not go to war, and that there will be diplomatic exchanges. President Wilson's attitude in relation not alone to the war now raging, but to war itself, will keep him firm and unhesitating in the line -he has marked out for himself* Incidentally, it may be mentioned, tho American President has full constitutional powers to declare war and to make peace. But we feel assured that the present occupant of the White House is not going to declare war, either this week or the next, over the sinking of an American vessel. What the torpedoing of a great Atlantic liner with over a thousand American citizens on board would bring about we need not try to predict, but so far there is nothing the German pirates and sea assassins have done that will cause the President to swerve from his policy of most circumspect neutrality. Nor, for our own part, while we have most consistently condemned the too obvious effects of the President's judgment, are we among those who wish to see the United States at war on behalf of the Allies. What we have maintained from the first is that President Wilson, in the assumed interests of American neutrality, lias failed to seize the opportunity that was his of becoming the greatest moral force for good in the world to-day. What Dr Wilson was counted on doing was, officially, to reflect the detestation of over 80 per cent, of the American people for the deliberate, outrageous, and murderous attack by Germany on the territory, lives, and property of Belgium. This and none other. The question with which the President was faced was not, as he to his undying shamo has avowed. What is best for America? but What is right? Instead, however, of taking the plain, open thoroughfare, tho President found refuge in a neutrality so strict chat it was tantamount to a crime for an American soldier or sailor to whistle ' Tipperary,' and 'from that hour to the present Dr Wilson has been involved in a perfect nightmare of controversy, of accusation, and of diplomacy. Also, he has lost, beyond hope of retrieval, that splendid chance, which so rarely comes at all, and never more than once when it does, of being appointed supreme arbiter when the enemy of mankind is finally beaten to the dust. Assuming that President Wilson had' given utterance to, we hope, his own and to his countrymen's righteous horror and indignation by denouncing the crime against Belgium, would war necessarilv have followed? We are among those wh'n reply "No." On the contrary, it is conceivably possible that even the twentieth century Attila might have paused midway in his sanguinary path when he found the whole world ranged, or ready to range itself, on tho side of right. There seems to us to be a'strange misconception and misconstruction among Amerian business men of the Australian and New Zealand attitude. Those large American exporting firms that have business relations in these southern seas are amazed and anxious over public opinion as they find it here. They say that they cannot understand it, and they think we are ignorant of the facts, and they are writing letters to enlighten our ignorance and, which is perfectly legitimate, to keep their trade. The following extract is from the circular letter of one of the largest of these American firms, and is typical of all of them. Premising that the anti-American feeling now so prevalent in Australasia is due almost wholly to a misapprehension of the facts, the letter says :-

_l_t has been frequently stated that the United States should" have protested against the various acts forbidden by The Hague Convention. The ' New YorkTimes,' one of the leading papers in America, in a remarkable article pubon February 3, clearly points out " that The Hague Conventions, because they were not ratified bv all the belligerent nations, are without binding force, and impose on our Government no obligation to make protest against acts therein forbidden."

One is almost tempted' to laugh at so grotesque an apologia. President Wilson, it will be observed, was not bound to denounce in words that should go sounding through history the atrocious out-rage on Belgium, because The Hague Conventions have no binding force owing to their nonratification! That the authors of the letter are satisfied that they have effectually answered the main objections against their country's official inaction is clear from their naive statement- : The importance of the above fact is obvious, and though ample proof should be easily obtainable, it does not appear to be generally known here.

Possibly, though we doubt it. But what is known is the opinion of that eminent American ex-President Roosevelt, who, it will be seen, has small patience with this strictly neutral explanation of his country's failure to let her protest be heard.

I authorised the signature of the United States to these Conventions. They forbid the violation of neutral territory, and of course the subjugation of unoffending neutral nations as Belgium has been subjugated. They forbid such destruction as that inflicted on Louvain, Dinant, and other towns in Belgium, the burning of their priceless public libraries and wonderful halls and churches, and the destruction of cathedrals such as that at Rheims. They forbid the infliction of heavy pecuniarypenalties and the taking of severe punitive measures at the expense of civilian populations. They forbid the bombardment—of course the dropping of bombs from aeroplanes—of unfortified cities whose defences were not at the moment attacked. All of these offences have ' been committed by Germany. I took the action I did "in directing these Conventions to be signed on the theory and with the belief that the United States intended to live up to its obligations.

'Such plain direct speech calls for no elaboration. From our standpoint we are not even concerned with the accuracy of Mr Roosevelt's interpretation of America's duty. Our protest is a moral protest. Treaties or no treaties, neutrality or no neutrality, President Wilson has failed to appreciate the gravity of the crisis, and he has miserably failed to interpret, as none else could, the mora! horror of his fellow-men throughout Christendom, llr William Watson's recent sonnet to the ex-President admirably expresses this well-nigh universal feeling": Hadst thou been sitting yet in Lincoln's chair, A "different voice had pealed across the sea, Another hand had struck a deeper key, A larger note had pulsed upon the air,

Thou, in whose blood our Scotland hath a shareAs once on thino own soil august and free Thyself didst not unproudly tell to me 'Mid talk of statecraft wise and songcraft fair— Thou hadst not watched our throes with breast supine. Nor dost thou new, nor doth thy mighty land. Something of her vast soul we understand, And well we knew that, in this hour malign, Not human heart she lacks, but tongue divine. To rouse the thunders lulled in her great hand. To which we would add but one word —Amen.

A Christehurch telegram says : The Food Commission opened their sittings in Christchurch to-day. The proceedings are private.

The entries for the Winter Show staged by the Otaso A. and P. Society are coming in freely, and keen interest is being evinced in the forthcoming display of up-to-date machinery and the country's best products. The show will be extended to include Saturday, sth Jime, on which date the entire proceeds will be devoted to the Belgian relief fund. Circulars are being sent out to all members of the society, and also to exhibitors, inviting as much support as possible for this worthy object. The Governor in Council has appointed Mr James Wren to be a member of the Dunedin Licensing Committee to fill the vacancy occasioned by no fifth candidate having been nominated. A meeting of the committee of i'hp Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association was held yesterday afternoon; present—-Miss Ivflsey (president). Mrs Edwards, Mrs Johnston. Mrs Sidey. Mrs Halltmstein, Mrs Cameron, Mrs' Fulton, Mrs Allen, Mrs Kahleiibevg, Mrs Loudon, Miss Ramsay, and the secretary. Tho treasurer acknowledges the following subscriptions: Mrs John Roberts £3, Messrs J. Speight nnd Co. £2 2s, Lady M'Lenn. Mrs T. K. !?id-ey, Union Steam Ship Company £1 Is each. Mrs Raphael, Mrs Edwards £1 each. Mr G. Ritchie, Mrs Shennnn, Messrs Laidlaw and Gray, Mrs Herons, New Zealand Hardware Company 10s 6d each, Mieses Allen. Mrs Kahlenberg, Misses Rattray 5s each.

A deprdation of Canterbury producers waited on the Prime Minister at Wellington yesterday afternoon and represented that owing to the drought which obtains in that province the position is very serious from the point of view of the producers, and that unless something is done to relieve the pressure during the next few weeks serious loss would ensue, not only to the Canterbury people, bat to the Dominion as a whole. II was pointed out that with the, arrival of the cold of an earlier winter, stock was going back in condition, and hecoming unfit for shipment. The deputation therefore asked that the Prime. Minister should uh his influence to give Canterbury shinp?rs as r. rich shipping space as possible during the- nestmonth. Mr Massey promised to do all that lay in his power to meet the requests of the deputation, nut he pointed out that May was the worst month that the Government had experienced, and he did not expect much relief until the mimher of ships was 'increased in June. In any case, ho added, he was doing all that could possibly be done to relieve the pressure.

The trial of John Alexander M'Kinnon, charged with theft and fraud if. connection with the Customs frauds, was concluded at Christchurch yesterday, the accused being acquitted. At a. meeting of the Maori Hill Patriotic Committee, held last even in u', John Clcgg attended and offered to give a lecture on his thrilling experiences whilst a. prisoner for three weeks on the German ships Kronprinz Wilhelm and F.benburger, and also or. his travels through France and other parts during the war. The offer was willingly accepted, and the lecture will be given in trie Coronation Hall on May 21. The whole of the proceeds will bo devoted to the- Belgian relief fund. The sensation-monger continues busy. To-day it was a great German success (that 'is, a British defeat) at Hill Xo. 60. The origin of this falsehood was probably fche mis-reading of a belated High "Commissioner's cable. Wo shall be" pleased to report to the police the names (if furnished) of any of these dangerous individuals who, apparently, being idle, have been enrployed to work mischief. Mr Widdowsori S.M.. presided at the Tort Chalmers Court this forenoon. For breach of his prohibition order William H. Grimsey was fined 20s, or seven days. Robert Collins was charged with driving a motor car at an excessive rate of speed on the Sawyers Bay road on March 26. Alter the evidence had been given, M-* by-.in, who appeared for defeiKiaai, submitted that the case be dismissed'on a technical point, and the Magistrate, upholding the point, dismissed the ease. Jos-eph Hujhes, who said lie was over 70 years of ago, but did • not want the old age pension, sued William Tedsierwood for £l7 los, wages alleged to be owinu to the plaintiff by the defendant. His Worship gave judgment for the sum of £2. winch had been paid into Court, and non-suited plaintiff in respect to the balance.

Mx Paulin telephoned at 2 p.m.: Strong N.F. to N.W. winds; fine for 24 hours, barometer fall fast. Our Lawrence correspondent wires : The agricultural show and gift auction promoted by the farmers of the Tuapeka district, held here yesterday in aid of the Belgian relief funds, was 'a big success. The proceeds run into fully £240.

False economy—buying inferior whisky when you can get Watson's No. 10 lnVkc.ass whisky.—[Advfc.] = Speight's ale and stout are acknowledge? by ihe Dominion public to be the best "on -hi market.—[AdvtJ Watsen's No. 10 is a little clearer than mo.-t whiskies, but is worth the money [Advt.]