BRITAIN'S PART.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17097, 21 February 1916, Page 7

BRITAIN'S PART.

MR BONAR LAW'S VIEWS. RESOURCES NOT FEELING STRAIN. ECONOMIC TRADE ENTENTEAFTER WAR. Bv Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received February 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. February 18.

Mr Bonar Law in an interview with a "New York Times'' correspondent said that if militarism according to the Prussian standard was not crushed by the war there was nothing to prevent a icpctition of the present catastrophe, and the civilisation of Europe would go down before barbarism. All tho ouipov.rirtg of Hood and treasure would ho ill vain if the piling- up of armaments which had preceded the conflictproceeded undiminished afterwards. "The direction of the war has greatly improved. We have concentrated the control into fewer hands and are lit.king up the Allies in an endeavour to get unity of control. Wo must not forget that democratic countries are always at a disadvantage in prosecuting a war. We were not organised, but now W 3 have changed our viewpoint entirely, and realise that nothing matters except- winning, the war. I am proud of the achievement of being able ic enlist- nearly four million volunteers and to find that six million men offered. There no longer is anxiety about munitions. We are gaining in strength every week,"

The Miuister paid a tribute to the wonderful help rendered by the do- j minions and said: "Remember the do-j minions' are under no obligation to send a single man. We hear muck about, the loj-aity of the dominions to the! Mother Country. It is hot a question, of the loyalty of Canada to England or, of England to Canada, but there is the; question of the common loyalty to the? Empire and faith in the cause for which I we are all fighting. If there were a j disputo, say, between Canada and Bri- j tain, Canadian loyalty would be on tho! side of Canada. The oversea dominions have taken a big view of the war and j the response is magnificent. Canada is preparing to place, half a million in the j field, Australia is contributing 10 per i cent of her population, and New Zea-J land even more. The West Indies and ! Newfoundland have also given fine contingents. Indeed, every part of the Empire has given splendid examples of, patriotism. " I have no fear about the financial position. Our resources, though not inexhaustible, are so great that they have not yet begun to feel the strain, and can continue longer than those otV our enemies. We are drawing upon; stored up woalth and productive re- _ sources without straining our capacity; to pay or reaching the limit of self-'-sacrifice.

"Another disadvantage of the de«< mocracy in cusc of war lies in the ne-r cessity of facing freedom of_. opinion, which persists. The Government, is at-, tacked and unable to make a defencaiwithout revealing secrets. The people | of Germany are without the means of | making its opinions felt or griovancea*knowU. They are tinder an iron keep* and must'grin and bear it, but in Engr'jland criticism is indulged in, which is: impossible in any other country in-i volved in war."

Asked if he contemplated an econo-; mic entente among the Allies after the_ war, Mr Law said: "T do. It will no£ be easy, but tho war will have changed"-, relations, and I believe will have tied our fiscal controversy. Germany has . secured a hold on western Russia by'' commercial penetration. That controY*. must in the future he. in other hands,:* chiefly French and English. Germanymust be driven out of many markets..' Wo will never again compete with heron unequal terms. The Allies will probably enter into an economic ententa and the British Empire will rely more; on its own resources. Already .the., munition works have revised British?, engineering and have induced a com-, plete remodelling of factories, stimu-; latcd invention, forced reforms and' showed what the nation can dp when • strung to the highest pitch of energy.; In a word, we have proved oiui power 1 * of adaptability." - *" The interviewer asked: "Do you; think the war will change the relations, between Britain and America?" Mr Bonar Law said: "The change!, 1 might possibly come if there is a league - of peace formed to prevent a repeti- ' tion of tho present calamity. If so, America will naturally be an important member of that league. Rules and con- i vcufcions for the regulation of war are arranged in times of peacie, but when war comes and belligerents disregardthem, only the powerful neutrals could attempt to maintain their observance. In future, unless there is. a serious limitation of armaments, there will be no force strong enough to see that the international conventions are observed or that a repetition of the pre-' sent horror is made impossible."