EMPIRE IN GREAT WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19659, 10 June 1927, Page 11

EMPIRE IN GREAT WAR.

EARL HAIG'S TRIBUTE. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS. PRIDE FULLY JUSTIFIED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Reoaived June 9, 8.12 p.m.) Sun. " LONDON, June 8. "1 donbt if it is yet fully realised in Britain how immense was the British Army's contribution to the Great War," said Earl Haig, at the. conference of the Empire Service League. . Tremendous cheering broke out as the speaker proceeded to break his diplomatic post-war silence. He said : "Our national tendeacy t. belittle our achievements is often fostered by political considerations, and it has allowed us to ascribe the victory in the war to various causes For example, to the military genius of cur allies, to our enemies' mistakes, ard to the intervention of America—to anything, in fact, but the true cause, namely, the inherent fighting qualities of the British armies and the endurance, loyalty and discipline of the British peoples through out the world. "But the American reserves did bring the war to what many politicians rergarded as an unexpectedly sudden end. In the last 18 months of the war the British Empire carried the burden victoriously almost solely on their own shoulders. "The Empire mobilised, equipped and trained the finest fighting force the world has ever seen in the greatest war of history. The direction of that instrument mainly rested with me, and so far as I personally am concerned I am prepared to leave the result to the judgment, of history. "At present I am concerned in securing a fair measure of credit {or all ranks who composed the armies of the Umpire It, is ef the utmost importance for the future that the people of Britain and the Dominions shall accept the true version of the part they played in the war. "The Empire I'vice League will have justified itself if it keeps alive in the : hearts of its members a just pride in j their achievements in war-time/-