SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, 5 August 1916, Page 5

SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR.

RENEWING A PLEDGE. GATHERING AT THE CHURCH STEPS. A gathering was held at the Church Stops last evening, on the occasion of the secondi anniversary of the declaration of war between Britain and Germany. In addition to the 'general public ! there was a large muster of Territorials, t Cadets, and National Reserve. Both bands played through the streets The Mayor of Nelson (Mr C. J. Harlev) said they were assembled on the ! second anniversary of the war, at the request of the Government. Similar | meetings were being held in i centres of the Dominion and the Empire, the object being to pass a resolution expressing their determination to caxry on ' the war to a victorious end. The resolution he had to move was as follows: — "That on this, the. second anniversary of the declaration: of a righteous war, thfs ipeeting pf sitizens records its inflexible determination to continue to a victorious end the struggle in maintenance of those ideals of liberty andi- justice w:hich are the common and) sacred cause, of the Allies." : . The Mavor said he .would trace, the outstanding features of the _ war, pre-, facing ihis remarks by reminding them that prior to the war Britain and Germany had .suaranteed the neutrality of 1 Belgium. The Archduke Ferdinand of Austria wa's murdered'at Serajevo, and this was followed by-a declaration of war' by Austria on Servia. Germany declared war on France, and threatened an l invasion through Belgium. Britain warned Germany that .if the neutrality. of Belgium. was violated she would join the 'war, but the warning' was not and Germany proceeded to invade Pel-: gium. The Belgians made a heroic defence at Liege, but was eventually overrun, and the Germans marched _ on [ towards France, -committing atrocities and.putting into, operation a policy of■ frightfulness. the like, of which Europe had never heard of. Britain scut across the Channel her 1 army of 50,000 or 60,000, who rvqt up ani heroic fight, but' were overwhelmed by the Germans. There followed the retreat from Mons, the Germans pushing on till they were, in sight of Paris. The French, pulled, themselves together and checked-, the. invaders 'at the Mame. The; invaders' .dug in—a new . phase of warfare—and for 20 months there was little chansre.' The atrocities, submarine outrages like: the sinking of the Lusita.riaa-, and the; bombardment of defenceless towns,showed that the Germans were utterly careless of how , they 'gained' their ends, and Britain was thoroughly aroused. We had in Kitchener a; man who _ grasped' the situation —he was our guiding star: he liaised' great armies.; while "Lloyd George saw to the munitions. All this took time,'and there was'a'great difficul-; ty in hanging on while N we were preparing.. The Russians bad made a very successful start. They'had invaded East. Prussia and had , overran Galicia and; Hungary. Then the v., collapsed and were driven; well into ; European.. Russia. They'were inadeauately . equipped with arms, andmunitions. Now thing®; were changed.. The French people ware as as <>ne. Bri-. tnin had risen to the occasion. The Russians, with supplies... from Japan and America, were progressing , a •.marvel-* lous rate. Italy was. in the waivand- wagpushing the Austrian's out of Italy. The' Germans had) lmd a- 'pronounced; defeat at Verdun. The British and French', were making a general forward move- - ; ment. The British Fleet in the Battle; of Jutland showed that it could hold-its own, 'srained' a glorious victory, and .Britain still rules the waves. Thus we could say with confidence that we 'wOre, wdn- r ning the war. All we had to do was to i keep on''as we were- going and ul-' timatelv we would crush our relentless-' foe. (AplauseY.

Or. W. S . Ham psora said that when Britain took up the ■cudgels against Gor-! many it was thouebt she would &e-pit-* ted against a nation- <>f gentlemen. instead l we were fighting •barbarians. No' savage nation could' Have shown itself: more devilish and' savage tham that nation which was fiffhtinv. against- lis.v. The war had' Unified l the Empire. Germany thought Britain, .would go. to . pieces.;: at the first sound' of -the ..jruns, and'.that', the Dominions would break away. These calculations had •. been ■. 'proved- to be? quite, wtoik. That meeting was. one of' rproba.bly. 150,000 being 1 held l throughoutthe Empire that .day,, expressing. a _de--termination to carry the. wax to a finish. ■ (Applause). Some people feared that: Britain would "be too easy in lier. terms, but a cable a day or two aitfo indicated: that his,:;native town would not, think of peace till the .perpetrators of the vile outrages were banded over for civil trial—(applause)—and «"<s the -criminal was in London the day hefore. (Applause). . Britain must fight" till she ga.ined a.n pesce.aridr ■reparation' for those.so terribly yrconiged.. 1 Cr HamDson said - thev, might well, be proud of the New Zealand bovs at the front, and proceeded' to quote Mir Philip Gibbs's thrilling account of.last,month'sfijrhting as 'appealing in that ,' evening's' panei-. He concluded- by declaring that''d f necessary we, must fight to the . last shilling, and, if the trenches ourselves." (Applause). Mr J. S. Evans, S.]\l., said': "I havebeen asked to second" this resolution, arid I do so most heartily. When the time comes for you to carry it you will do m> with all the force and, vig-pur. and vim of which you are capable. But I wish to remind you that this is a time for action, for dcecls, not words. Your doty is not done when you throw. your i hats in*' the air\ and, shout. 'Hurrah !' The nation demands deeds arid action. Men are wanted, money is-wanted, to carrythe resolution) into effect. Men are oom- ; ing forward. Nelson is inclined to pride' ■herself on the .men she has sent. But Nelson has not 'sent' anv men. They ilia-ve ffone, they are going themselves willin'sdy. (Applause). If anyone has sent them it is their dependents and loved ones. You all know, or should know that we haye. been, -carrying on a scheme to raise rnonev for the men who. are going and their dependents. Bid' yon notice in Paddy's Market some mothers whose sons are to-iiight in the firing-line? Their iriethers were there' doing their duty with brave smiling faces, and their hearts in the trenches 'somewhere ini France.' Ask these splendid women if they would' have their sons home to-night, and everyone of them would say, 'No! Not so long as those 25,000 French, women are in the hands of. the German butchers.' Did) you' notice not a. few war brides amongst, tlie work-; ers—your, young women who have married their lovers .. and,sent theni fp.the battle? Ask ttiem if they Would recall their husbands to-niorht? Their answer would be 'No! Not till, those 25.000 women/ arid' all other yomen, victims of German brutalitv, liave been avenged. ' It ; - is for these women we are? asking this money. • You-' will have seen' a. list in the ropers for sb'rne time past" of have-given £25 arid' vp-' -wards. Have you ever noticed that this list is contained in, one column, 'of . the- J •newspapers ? If you count the name'? and add up the- amounts yon will ,'iind there are 165 sxibscribers, and that thev? have Eriveni, half..the amount- collected.; Out .of a population of 25,00p 165 subscribed; half '3he amount £/.. Is thkt anything for Nelson, .to be. proud of— Neuson, who /prides "herself; on the ineji, she Has sent? It is something for the' 165 to be proud of, but there are some who need 1 be ashamed of it. Tt has always "Keen tlie intention- of the Executive to 'publish the list) of smaller subscribers'.

They published the £25 list for a purpose. The list of small amounts wil! follow. On that list you will find names of persons who have sacrificed to give. But watch the list carefully, for you j may be surprised at the names that are not there at all which could easily have been in the £25 list. (A Voice: ".We can't give if we haven't pot it.' ) . My remarks are not addressed to those "who cannot give. No jnan who cannot give is expected to give. My remarks are addressed to those who can give .but woa't-r-(a. voice: "Send 'em to the front")—there are hundreds who. liav© worked, and given and done nobly. : Bufc do you tell me that 165 names exhausts the'list of those .who could give. £25? On© column of the newspaper contains them, and one colmun of the newspaper is often required now for the daily/list of killed and wounded 1 . Men and monev are wanted. Think these facts over, and let each: ask, 'Have I done my; duty.J* Mr McKenna, when speaking from, his place in the House of COmfnons' at '/Horno recently, said, 'Extravaganc© and; waste is treason, and indifference ,is a - crime:' If this be so, and it is, what of those "who ignore their duty or oppose for paltry reasons the attempt to raise ;inoney for our gallant defenders?. ( The 'word to describe them;is not .coined, Tf it is I cannot use it here. Nelson may be proud of the fact that so many of her soils have, gone willingly, but let , JTelsora not pride. herself on the menu she iha® 'sent.' She has sent none, .let .her r pride herself rather on what she is db- ! ing and going, to do for our defenders. Action is needed, not words." t The .motion- was then put and unanimously carried by a show of hands amidst applause. - : i Cheers were, given .for the King,, and for our boys, at tlie ; front, and thega-thefi-inrr concluded with the singing of i the National' Anthem. AT RICHMOND. ' , A large gathering assembled; .at the Richmond Town. Hall last .evening -to pass the war anniversary resolution. ; ®fr Jas. Hunt, Mayor of. the BorOugh, pre? "sided,, "and anoved,the iresolutioh, Cr. Ingram seconding. Speeches were a|so made 'bv Rev. Av J Carr. and Mr T. Bell. The resolution; was Oarriedwith cheers, and' was followedi by the singing of the "National Anthem. ■ \ ! The resolution was wired to tho Premier >by Mr Hunt this morning. • ■