HONOUR TO ENGLAND

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9632, 12 April 1917, Page 3

HONOUR TO ENGLAND

ELOQUENT TRIBUTE FRENCH RECOGNITION OF WORTHY MOTIVES. In. tho first issue of the ‘'National Noi-ve/’ tho new London weekly journal which was founded to promote national and Imperial ideals. Senator Cuarlos Humbert presents a French view of England's entry into tho war. He writes All tho nations ra-nßcd together against German barbarism have done mngnificiently—from tiny Belgium to vast Russia—yet it seems to mo that amongst them all England is distinguished by something peculiarly great, liras and strong, something which inspires trust and impresses with tho sense of an integrity confident in itself. England entered into the war worthily; sho did not yield to auger, still less o any sentiment of self-interest. c took up arms to defend a e l frayed, to champion the inviolability o treaties, to enforce consideration tor tho helpless, to uphold all that stands for dignity and honour in humanity. I’ronting England, in those first days when tho crisis was gathering to its height, Germany had an aspect hesitant, troubled, an aspect horn ot aitogaiico and fear commingled. S would fain have assured British neutrality bv some, shameful compact, ana herself remained free to carr y , 1 .Y 5 bitter end her unsavoury ente prise. Then it was that tho austere and chill regard bent on her by England troubled her. weighed her down in the midst of her lies: tho callous brigands who were making ready to steep Europe in b o . yet felt a stirring of unease at the pro sonce so near them of that immutab. inflexible honesty—the unease of a murderer before his fudge. . .. England awaited no aggression; it was from her there came the declaration of war upon the country guilty of engendering it. She wont about n undertaking tranquilly. surely, whentho hour had struck and the right shone out clearly, uncontestably. And, the great decision taken, that to which all her history, all her traditmna urged her, then there burned high within the souls of her sons a flame transmitted through the centuries, due dust of those heroes of old, who sleep in her cathedral crypts must surely haro thrilled to the knowledge that all From that day on England haa bent herself, all her mind and strcngth to the task she then assumed It “afters little that the task may have proved more severe than she at first realised, for as the calls on her increased, so her courage mounted to meet them. 80 her determination and her strength waxed S A at loyal ally, sho has helped her companions in the struggle not only with men, not only with the material fabric of fighting, not only with riches but also with her generous encouragement. Not a heroic act, not a fine deed has been ignored by her. She has been ready with praise and sincere admiration whenever the occasion jas meet for such; she has ever extolled the merits and deeds of her ,All '. es f J than her own. She has generated confidenco and bop©. ~ . At the beginning all that was expected of her was her powerful help at sea. To keep watch upon the face of tne waters, to stifle tfie trade which is the breath of life to the enemy country, to render impossible all chance of escape from that strangle-hold—this alone was enough to absorb the energy ana resources of a great people. England has done more-much more. She has created an or®?, B be has called into being a formidable Industry of war. Her soldiers. Only yesterday mere novices, have to-day become those men who, with their French comiados. repeatedly display ffieir moral superiority over life flower of the Prussian troops. Her officers arc trained in the school of war itself, W leaders have found from the actual experience of war how to comprehend and conduct it. Very certainly all that could not corns about without some difficulties and hesltflAtythe outset there were difficulties. For a hundred, years England had en■loved A situation, without parallel in tho world. Sho was but too securely aloof in her ‘ splendid isolation. In public life, In national institutions, in economic organisation, in tho veiy training given in her schools she was content 8 to rest confidently on what sho had already accomplished. She allowed herself ' to be outpaced by determined and acute competitors. Sho had not worked with energy. . When she found herself at grips with a world of violent action she was jot able all at once to rise to the extremost edge of necessity. Her organisation political. diplomatic, administrative, military—wore non© of them fully worthy of her. , , . , But, as has ever happened .in her times of national stress, the right men have arisen to meet the moment, and what is vet finer and still more a .sign of grace, the feeling of the nation itself has found them, borne them above the petty strifes of public life, and set them in triumph in that high place where they could give to their threatened country all they had in them to give. Even as England has already had her Pitt, today she has her Lloyd George—tho man who understands, the man who wills, the roan who reollaes. And with each day of tho war England’s- part in it grows. Our enemies make no mistake when they nourish against her their most implacable hate —which Is at the same time the most powerless. For, serene, calm, sure of the ultimate achievement, their steadyburning adversary goes from strength to strength. When I reflect on the tremendous spectacle of England as she now is, always one comparison comes into my mind. I think of one of those vast ocean liners, veritable floating cities, tho miracle of th© human genius, about to start on a long voyage. At first the immense fabric seoma to have a difficulty in. getting under way; her propellers churn the water heavily, macing tempestuous eddies this way and that. A slow tremor vibrates through the colossal bulk. Then she begins to make headway, ard almost imperceptibly her speed increases. A magnificent ease and. freedom comes upon. her. . . . She is under way at last. And throughout her length, so vast and stately, sho pulsates to the steady rhythm of her engines. She leaves far behind her slighter adventurers of the sea. She merges into the horizon irresistible in her - march, hearing within her steady flanks the innumerable human destinies confided to her car©. It is thus that England appears to me to-day. She has. been long in getting under way. The inexhaustible resources of her great Empire have only fallen into lino little by little. But now she is launched indeed. Sho is steering, full steam ahead, towards victory.