The New Zealand Times. MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1917. THE LESSONS OF THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9695, 25 June 1917, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1917. THE LESSONS OF THE WAR

No better summary of the lessons of the war to bo drawn from the facts of the war could be desired than the summary given by Mr Hertlnisn in bis speech at the “capping” at Victoria College on Friday night. Ho took his stand on the contrast between the Britain of pre-war days, careless and prosperous, and the Britain of the war, concentrated, alert, fighting the great fight in a great way. His descriptions of the two wore masterly in their comprehensive brevity and complete insight. His inferences, rightly drawn, from the various points of contrast thus well reviewed, were illuminating. It is not mere cheery optimism to say that “the experience of these years of war will influence the actions of Britain throughout the centuries, and leave a permanent mark upon her character.” It stands to reason that an Empire caught unprepared in the vortex of a stupendous war will never be so caught again. No one can forgot the agony of the first/ weeks before the battle of the Marne. That tremendous victory, certainly one of the most decisive in tbo history of the world, relieved the mind of the Empire—to say nothing of the mind of our noble Ally over the water, whoso great general planned the stroke —by completely frustrating the long-prepared plan of the enemy for securing the dominion of the earth. Moreover, it gave Britain and the Empire tbo time to make tbe gigantic preparations necessary for continuing the struggle with the enemy who, though ho had irretrievably lost his plans, still had his tremendous I forces intact. How wisely and energetically that time of preparation was filled Mr Herdman’s few pithy sentences made very clear. Enough to say that Britain emerged with the whole strength of the Empire efficiently concentrated, as the great part now being played by her armies in continental war on a scale of unprecedented magnitude is every day demonstrating, i To the great part played by the Navy in enabling the battle of the Marne to bo fought, and afterwards in safeguarding the work of the campaign and of the mighty war preparations of I the nation, Mr Herdman did full justice, in a few sentences setting forth ;the ' things the Navy is doing to-day .on every sea. This brought him to the i first lesson of the war. His hope, he said, is for “One Imperial Navy controlled in peace and in war from one centre of the Empire,” manned by men all “serving under like conditions” and “trained where the traditions and spirit of the Navy live.” This is eminently the lesson of the war. Its details are Jutland, Gallipoli, Coronel, Falkland, the great blockade of Germany, the struggle with piracy, the guarding of the transport of troops by

tho million and of munitions in tonnage incalculable, the control of the trade routes, the sweeping away of sea raiders. Another lesson is the certainty that never again will an attack on tho freedom of mankind bo encouraged by the unreadiness of tho great strength of freedom’s principal defender. That strength, now fully prepared, has attracted to its side by its splendid efforts in the great cause of freedom the mighty Kcj/iblic. of the West, and the two together will, with the, aid of great Allies who have suffered and fought, koepi tho peace of the world- The chiral lesson is the amity of all classes within the Empire. Of that the outcome must he tho establishment by the control of all departments of national life on the basis of justice and equal opportunities to all man, of a state of society iu which every unit will face cheerfully all danger and sacrifice to preserve freedom and the righteousness that exalts nations. Tho war that has made tin’s possible stands justified to all tho British race. If the statesmen of every part of the Empire will concentrate their brains and energies on making the possible the actual, the war will be as much justified by its fruits as by its motives.