SPEECH BY GENERAL SMUTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 115, 20 May 1918, Page 5

SPEECH BY GENERAL SMUTS

ANXIOUS DAYS AHEAD.

NO FEAR OF RESULT. ■OUT-AND-OUT VICTORY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY GROUP. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Rec. May 20, 8.45 a.m.) * LONDON, May 18. General Smuts (a member of the War Cabinet) had an enthusiastic reception when visiting the Clyde shipyards. Addressing workers at Fairfield he said: "The Germans had achieved a success that few had though possible. We used to talk a lot of nonsense about beating the Boche, but Brother Boche had knocked this kind of damnable nonsense out of us. If we, strain every nerve I don't feel a moment's doubt about the result. We suffered in men in the great battle on the West front, but the results compensated for the losses." The Government asked General Smuts a year ago to visit France. He reported that the most necessary thing, was a big army of manoeuvre—an army of strategic reserve for contingencies. Continuing, General Smuts said the Americans are now coming in hundreds of thousands monthly. Submarines are powerless against the transports. The enemy will come within an ace of "victory, but will not secure it. The situation will be most anxious for many days to come. If the lasfc British soldier be driven out of France the Germans still will not have won, because they must win both on sea and land General Smuts did not believe an out-and-out victory was possible for any group of nations. He considered they had fought to a stage where the enemy was now ready to consider and concede terms. It would be a most dangerous thing to go to the Peace Conference before they knew the principal terms to be considered. The Govei-nmenb will do its dxity knowing what we are fighting for. The Conference ultimately called will settle details after the principal combatants have agreed on the main issues.