NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSIBILITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16591, 14 January 1916, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSIBILITY.

MANIFESTO BY THE PRIME MINISTER. TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW, • ZEALAND. We have been requested by the Prime Minister to publish the following:— It is now close upon 18 months since the Government of New Zealand, with the full consent and approval of the people of the dominion, decided to place ail Expeditionary Force at the disposal of the Imperial authorities. In the interval we have despatched' aver 34,0C0 troops to the front. We have another 12,000 in training, and stand committed to the despatch of 2500 men monthly by way of reinforcements. This means that by the end of the current year we shall have sent not less than 61,000 men into the fighting line—no small achievement for a country which has only a population, of a little over a million. Hitherto wo have worked upon the voluntary system, and while men are forthcoming in sufficient numbers to fulfil the engagements which New Zealand has made with the Imperial authorities, there is no desire on the Government's part to depart from that system. At the same time, it is desirable that particularly every single man of military age and fitness, and possessing the minimum of responsibilities, should be induced to do what, under existing circumstances, is his obvious duty. I make, therefore, no apology for an appeal to the manhood of the dominion, especially as arrangements are now being made to bring our new recruiting scheme into operation. We are all proud of the magnificent response that has already been made to the Empire's call for men to do battle in the cause of justice and liberty, and. for the deliverance of the oppressed. But the effort which loyalty and patriotism demand of us now is greater than was at one time anticipated', and requires that f we should put every ounce of energy we ; possess into the scale against Germany. THE NEED IS FOR MEN, MORE MEN, AND STILL MORE MEN. The call comes to every man in this country who is in a position to do so to prepare to take his place in the fighting line. The cry comes to us from our sons, brothers,' ana kinsmen in the trenches : " Come over and help us." ' It rings through every note of the official de--1 spatches; it is echoed by the sick, the j wounded, and by the men who have re- > turned invalided' from the front. The graves of Gallipoli appeal to us silently yet eloquently that the sacrifices made there, and the heroic lives laid down on that shell-swept peninsula, shall not have been given in vain. No man worthy of the name can remain deaf to such appeals. The Empire needs the faithful and devoted services of all its citizens, if it is to prove victorious in the stupendous task to which it has set its hand. Never in all its glorious history has it called upon its people in vain. Shall we fail it now? The Motherland, which has made many sacrifices on our behalf, appeals to her sons across the seas for their assistance and co-operation. Zeppelin raids, coastal bombardments, and the grim menace of submarines have familiarised her with the horrors of a warfare we have so far happily escaped, and which we too should experience but for the protection the British fleet affords ns. It is our duty—nay, more, our privilege—to go to her help. In certain quarters of late we have heard talk of the "Prussianising" of New Zealand. Only in one way is it possible' to Prussianise New Zealand, and that is by allowing the enemy to become victorious. If by apathy and indifference we fail in our duty, and so make conquest an easy matter for our adversaries, the responsibility will rest upon those who have declined to accept the privileges and , duties of citizenship, chief amongst which is the defence of the country. Self-preservation, a care for our homes and the sanctity of family life, apart altogether from love of country, alike demand that we should be on the alert to repel the foe and' to defend the Empire on the fields of battle, where the decisive Blows must be struck that will bring either victory or defeat to the opposing forces, and which will decide our destiny, together with that of the Empire with which our fate is inseparably connected. . Germany's plans of conquest, which have been unfolded before the eyes of an astonished world' since the waT began, included the annexation of the British overseas dominions, also of Egypt, and probably India. We need, therefore, to be under no illusions a.? to our fate if the Central European Powers -prove victorious. The German eagle would replace the Union Jack and the New Zealand flag in these southern seas. The Huns would simply enter upon and despoil the country, and German autocracy, backed up by Krupp's guns, would take the place of our free institutions. Democracy, as we know it, would perish under Prussian Tule, and it would become a crime to speak the English language. Has not a leading Berlin paper told us, with the approval of the German official world, that "mankind needs German methods," and "must make use of them for its spiritual preservation"? And has not the Berlin Deutsche Tages Zeitung declared that we must also accept "the blessing'' of the German, tongue? "On all men," it arrogantly writes, " not 1 those belonging to the more cultured races only, but on men of all nationalities and colours, the German language acts as a blessing, which, coming direct from the hand of God, sinks into the heart like a precious balm and ennobles it." And so "English," the journal proceeds, ■•"the bastard 'tongue of the canting island pirates, must be swept from the place it ] has usurped and forced back into the re- \ motest corners of Britain, until it has t returned to its original elements of an in- t significant pirate dialect." 1 The dangers we have to guard against are very real; but if we are true to ourselves, true to the traditions of our race, and faithful stewards of the sacred heritage committed to us by our forefathers, 1 we need not fear the result. Only by * disunion, disloyalty, and half-heartedness can the victory pass from our grasp. We New Zealariders pride ourselves most of all upon our loyalty to our Empire, our country, and' our flag. We have made sacrifices on their behalf, but the call Is for greater sacrifices still. We are proud to think that tens of thousands 6f New

Zealand's sons count it an honour to take up arms on behalf of the Empire, and that her heroic daughters have willingly braved the perils of the battlefield and of service in strange lands in order to minister to the suffering and to succour the wounded. Duty calls us to battle on behalf of the right. Failure to defeat the damnable doctrine of "Might is right" will land the world into the abysmal depth of savagery. Honour demands that we should make sacrifices for the good of our fellow men, for the protection of our women and 1 children, and for the sanctity of crar home life. Belgium—crushed, torn, crnelly violated, wickedly betrayed, as surely no other country has ever been before, and as no other country shall be despoiled again, if the men of our Empire are true to the traditions of their race—Belgium and the other martyr nations appeal to lis for succour and sympathy. We need not wait to have the whole record of Germany's infamies " scientifically proved'' to realise the call of doty here. British people will never forget the linking of the Lusitania, the Arabic, and blie Persia; the drowning of our nurses; the murder of Miss Cavell; and the other itroeities revealed to us by the iniquities which have taken place, and. from which civilisation shrinks in horror. For Britain's sake, we have sent onr ;ons, our brothers, and our kinsmen to ■he war. For her rake and for our own protection, and for the safety and hapniless of our women folk and'children, we mist continue to reinforce them, and fo trengthen their hands in every possible vay. We must fight on until a dnrabTe jeacfc becomes possible, and t(he sword nxut not be sheatibtod octal BaLghimfe

wrongs have been righted; until Russian Poland and Serbia are again freed from the yoke of the oppressor; and until ample guarantees are available for the safety of the smaller nationalities of the world. Tn this way we can all play our part. But to this end we must be prepared to make sacrifices, and I am satisfied that th«j people of New Zealand, who have already' done so much in this direction, ■will continue steadfast to the last, and bear themselves worthily and well in this war of wars, and in this hour of the Empire'& greatest need. THE CALL IS STILL FOR VOLUN- '• TEERS. ; Many who read this appeal should errlist right away. Duty reminds them of their obligations. From the trenches their comrades call to them. The cry of "To the front!" rings out more and more insistently. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO r ABOUT IT? Men of New Zealand, we most "keep the Germans out of Old England," and out of New Zealand, and every other British possession. , » What is wanted now is the spirit of the Lancashire man of whom I read His two sons had gone to the war, anjl word came that the younger had been' killed. The father was not content, -a!though he was considerably above militanr age, until he was able to take his boy's place, and one day found himself in the fighting line by his eldest son's side "somewhere in Prance.'' Gripping his boy by the hand, the father said.: " I've coom to take Andy's place. When word came about, thy brother, thy mother bade me coom to thee, and I'd be a shamed man if I failed to do something to keep the Bosches out of Old England. Ana we've got to do it, lad, for the thy mother and thv sisters." By keeping the Bosches out of British territory we shall save civilisation, wo shall save the Empire, and shall be in'a better nosition to efficiently assist our gallant allies and redeem Belgium, Poland/ and Serbia. It is our privilege to act to-day., Aduty deferred, or neglected, may cause us life-long tribulation and anguish 'of mind. Let us, then, <( act in the living' present." Every man able to bear anns ; is needed at the front. You know if you come withip that category. If jyou do,, enlist at once, and, like a certain soldier of Kitchener's army, you will be able,,to< say : " I was not among the first to go; but I went, thank God, I went." > ' , (Signed] W. F. Masses', C' Prime Minister and Chairman. of '■ Recruiting Board. ■ -1 '