To Win Each Must Make War Own Business

Northern Advocate, 24 May 1941, Page 6

To Win Each Must Make War Own Business

TSpecial to “Northern Advocate”] AUCKLAND, This Day.

“If this man (Hitler) and this people, driven by this diabolical spirit, is to be defeated.” said the Prime Minister of Australia (the Right Hon. R. G. Menzies) • at a civic reception yesterday, “we must meet organisation with organisation, sacrifice with sacrifice. “Talk is not enough. We shall not win by having high hearts, by having hearts that soften to a tale of other people’s sufferings, by making a donation to a deserving charity. It is for every man to say ‘it is my business.’ “We are a race of individuals, not a mob. If we were a mere mob I would say ‘we will lose this war. We will go quietly. Let us make the best terms we can.” Partly Responsible “Englishmen are carrying on today, enduring things no man ever before endured, because there is a spark in every Englishman’s mind which says * I am responsible in part for this.’ Let everyone of us examine our hearts as to what we are personally doing in this struggle. “Nothing annoys me more in a

time ■ like this than to have miserable little political bickerings. There came to me while I was trying to do my best in London the little whispers, the little murmurs of self-seekers. “Any man or woman who in this time puts his or her private interests before the State is a traitor to the State. My private interest is to live in a free world when this war is over. Share Honourable Poverty

“What does it matter if we come out of this in poverty, as we regard poverty, as long as it is an honourable poverty and we share it together?”

Mr Menzies pointed out that Britain had endangered her own existence and significance in the political structure of the world in an endeavour to stop the aggressions of Nazi Germany, because there could be no future for decent humanity unless she fought. Circumstances gave the enemy every material advantage. Britain had devoted to the arts of peace the years that the enemy had devoted to war preparations. In Gravest Peril

“Don’t let us make any mistake,” said Mr Menzies. “We are in the gravest peril that has ever confronted our people.” As instances of the spirit that would eventually give us victory, Mr Menzies referred to the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Greece. In spite of the terrific hammering British cities had suffered, he had not found in the people the slightest hint of anything but indomitable courage. “These people—half-fed, if you like—living in conditions of which we ought to be ashamed in this day and generation, are the greatest generation in the history of our race,” he said. Referring to Greece, Mr Menzies stated: “These little magnificent people have written the most magnificent fighting chapter the world has seen in many a long day.”