LABOUR AND THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1474, 18 November 1915, Page 2

LABOUR AND THE WAR.

PETER BOWLING’S STIRRING APPEAL. Mr Peter Bowling, the old industrial “war horse,” who has seen more than his share of fighting in the ranks of Labour, appeared in a new role the other day (says the Sydney Morning Herald), when he mounted the platform in Martin-place, and appealed to the young men of the community to join the ranks and reinforce their comrades in the firing line. ’Everyone,” he said, “can do something to-day. Granting that a great deal has got to be done, the only thing to do is to obey the call that has been issued to you by the King, and by every man and « woman who loves and appreciates liberty. When a great national principle is at stake, when liberty is at stake~and I say this to the workers—it behoves every man who can take up arms to do so, for the alternative is military despotism. (Cheers). I don't talk to men whose courage is not equal to the occasion. I do not ask any man to do a thing which Peter Bowling is not game to dahimself. I have sent two of my sons to the Iront, and I would go myself, but they won’t take me because I am 51 years of age. But I insist that I am as well able, physically, to do my work as any man in the trenches. ‘T am going to make a bargain with you younger men. The military authorities won’t have me because I am 51 years of age. Let 20 young men come up here and enlist on the condition that I go with yon, and then they’ll have to take me. You will not find me lacking in courage. I am not inexperienced. I have served in the artillery, and I am willing to serve again. (Cheers). The speaker pictured the agonies cf the little children of Belgium, and said that if we could see these things with our own eyes there would not be a man left in the, country. Even the cripples would be demanding enlistment in order to avenge the horrible atrocities which the Belgians had suffered. “I am always prepared,” he concluded, “to fight for the class I represented some years ago. From experience I know that it is always better to go out and meet a foe than wait until he knocks at your koor. After all, however, what is everybody’s business is nobody’s business. I would take the names of all men without ties, who are in a position to fight, post them in a public square, and select the number required by the authorities by ballot. We have got to realise the fact that we are lacking in organisation. Ido not say we should have conscription. “Now, come on, you twenty men; if you don’t you are going to keep me back. There should be no peace or talk ot peace till the German hordes are driven back to Berlin. It is there we will dictate our terms.” (Cheers).