A FORMER FOE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9821, 19 November 1917, Page 3

A FORMER FOE

GENERAL SMUTS AND LORD FRENCH STAND SHOriJ>BR TO SHOULDER FOR FRKEDOAI. Speaking in \A*o-rminsicr Hall at the banquet Riven in his honour ’by members of both Houses of the British Parliament, and presided over by FieldMarshal lord French. General Smuts, the Baer general and statesman, who commanded the British forces in the victorious East African campaign, said that when he returned home he would he able to tell the people of South Africa that he had been received in England “not ,as a guest, not as a. stranger, but as cne of ourselves.'’ Thanking Lord French for the kind things he had said about him, General Smuts said:' —

“Your expressions in regard to myself arc largely, 1 feel, undeserved. At any rate, 1 accept them as coining from an old opponent, ami comrade in arms. I know they are meant in the best spirit, and I accept utem as such.”

“SGBEIOUNDED BY LORD FRENCH.’* “Your words recall to ray mind many an incident of those stirring times when we were opposing commanders in the Boer War. I may refer to two. On one occasion 1 was surrounded by Lord French—(laughter)—and was practically face to face with disaster. Nothing w,as left me but, but the most diligent scouting, to find a way out. I ventured into a place which bore the very appropriate name of .Murderers’ Gap—(laughter) — and I was the only man who camo outalive. One account of that stared that one Boer escaped, but ho probably had so many bullets- in him that be would be no further danger. (Laughter.) X survived to be your guest to-night. (Cheers.) “Two days after I broke through—blessed words in these time—(laughter)— and on n very dark night. I came to a railway, which 1 was just on the point of crossing, when wo heard n train. Sc-mo of us felt inclined to wreck and capture that train, but for sopie reason or other I, said, ‘No, let it pass.’ You can imagine my feelings when some timeafterwards I learned that the only freight on that train was Sir John French with one or two A.D.CVs, moving round from one part of his front to another to find out how I had broken through, daughter.) If I had not missed that chance he would have been my guest, no doubt very welcome, though no doubt embarrassing (Laughter.) irate has willed otherwise' 1 am his guest. (Cheers.) THE SPIRIT OF COMRADESHIP. “Those were very difficult and strenuous days in which one learned many a valuable lesson, good for all, life. One of those lessons was that under stress of great difficulty practically everything breaks down ultimately, and tho only, thing's that survive are really the simple human feelings of loyalty and comradeship to your fellows, and patriotism which can stand any strain and bear you through all difficulty and privation. (Hear, hear.) We soldiers know tho extraordinary value of these simple feelings. how fpr they go, and what strain they can bear, and how ultimately they support the whole weight of civilisation. That war wa-s carried on by both sides in a sportsmanlike spirit, and in a clean, chivalrous way—(ehoers)—and out of that calamity has been produced the hapor state of "affairs that you see today in South Africa, and which led to a new basis on which to build the larger and happier South Africa which is arising to-day. '

ONR GREAT RESULT OF THE WAR. 'T pm sure in the present great struggle now being waged .you will see the same cause leading to , lasting results. Hero you have from all parts of tlio British Empire young men gathering on the battlefields of Europe, and whilst your statesmen keep planning . a great scheme of union for the futuro. of tho Empire my feeling is that very largely the work is already done. Tho spirit of comradeship that has been born in this campaign on tho battlefields of Europe among tho men from tho various parts of the Empire,_ will bo far more powerful than any instrument of government that you can elect in the future. I feel sure that jn after days, when our successors comis to sum up what has happened and draw up a bal-ance-sheet, there will be a good credit balance due to this common feeling of comradeship which will have been built up.”