SEE IT THROUGH

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 3012, 5 August 1916, Page 4

SEE IT THROUGH

AFTER TWO YEARS OF WAR

PRUSSIAN MILITARISM MUST BE

CRUSHED

DEMONSTRATION IN FEILDING

Foildiug and district yesterday som a roprcseiitativo >j;atlicriiig to the inonstration held for tlio purpose ot confirming the 'Empire's determination to fight the war to a successful finish. The demonstration was heln in front of the Lyceum Theatre, the balcony of which was used a s a platform. Cr. G. J. Harford presided, in the absence of the Mayor at tho conference of Patriotic Societies in Wellington. Tleforo tho speeches and. tho resolution, a section of the. Salvation Army Band rendered "Till tho Boys Como Homo." Cr. Harford apologised for the absence of the Mayor, explaining the reason for Air Ongle.y's inability to be present. This gathering had been called at the request of the Prime Minister, and similar gatherings would be held in all towns and cities in New Zealand, where the resolution would ho put. News of the demonstrations would ho cabled Home, and show" the Old Land that New Zealand had not got weary yet. (Cheers.) They were quito willing to give tho best they had to prosecute tho war to a finish, and to a completely successful end. Ho could not help going bac.l to that day two years ago, when the world was startled by tho declaration of war by Germany. Tho Germans had their plans all prepared, and were ready to rush through Franco, capture Paris, and eventually to invado England. Those plans had failed. The might of tho German armies had been held up by a little country called Belgium, until tho French armies had time to mobilise, and until Gcnc■a: j/i'uiicn's "contemptible little M-e.iy'' had had time to land in .. ._\i.!v.h and take up its position.

....v./jiio iv-ew how the Germans had tue Belgians, and tho terrible deeds they had . committed, though they boasted of their culture. The speaker knew that tho British, the French, and tho Russians would noi have behaved in such a way to a captured people. The murder of Nurse Cavell and Captain Fryatt but strengthened tho dotormination to completely defeat the Prussian militarists. Tho British w - o 110 fc a military nation, and were not prepared for th e war, and ho believed that only for the intervention of God they would havo been defeated. The navy - , however, was always prepared for its work. Now tho tide had turned, and as Premier Hughes, of Australia, said thero was a rift in tho clouds anc? some blue showing. The Allies were advancing on all B ides, and he believed in another 12 months tho war would be over, with Prussia crushed never to rise again. The war had done good, in spito of its tragedy. They would remember that two years ago they had been almost expecting to hear daily that civil war ha.* broken out in Ireland, but to-day there were no braver soldiers than the Irish lighting i n tho King's armies. (Cheers.)

The resolution was then put as foi lows:—

lhat, on this, the second an-—j-m'Prfsnry of tho declaration of a righteous war, this meeting of citizens records its inflexible determination to continue to a victorious end the struggle in maintenance of those ideals of liberty and justice which are the common and sacred cause of the Allies.

Archdeacon A. S. Innos Jones seconded the resolution, saying he considered it an honour to be asked to do so. It had been said that tho civilisation that men had rested content with for many years had in the pride of its life proved a mockery. That nation which was considered the most cultured had proved itself to be the most barbarous and the most unscrupulous nation on the face of the globe. To hear of the murder of Nurse Cavell, of Captain Fryatt,. of the transportation of hundreds of innocent women and girls to slavery and worse made one's blood boil "with righteous indignation. They were filled with the fixed determination to crush Prussian militarism. They were fighting for tho freedom of the world, for justice, for Christian civilisation, and for lasting peace. That could only bo obtained by putting forth all their strength and •by God's help. Theirs was a distinctly righteous cause. (Cheers.)

The resolution was carried unanimously.

Cheers were given for the soldiers and sailors of the Empire, and the band led the assemblage in rendering the National Anthem. .