The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1915.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3200, 14 July 1915, Page 43

The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1915.) THE WEEK.

"Nunqnam allud natura, allud sapientla —Juvenal. “Good nature nud good sense must ever join.’’—* POITS.

In proposing a vote of thanks to Lord Kitchener for his speech at

Lord Kitchener's "Speech,

the Guildhall, Sir Edward Carson said that Lord

Kitchener possessed the absolute confidence not only of the Cabinet, but of the- country, and Sir Edward Carson futbermore declared that the nation would give Lord Kitchener whatever he asked in order to rea-ch final victory. Had Sir Edward Carson extended his declaration, and made it include the whole of the British Empire, he would have been equally near the truth. It is safe to say that in every one of the Overseas Dominions the name o: Lord Kitchener carries with it the same absolute trust and confidence that it does throughout the length and breadth of the British Empire. Thus Lore! Kitchener's speech was not onlv addressed to the comparatively limited audience assembled in London's historic Guildhall; it has reached to the confines of a far-flur.g Empire, and it breathes a message of inspiration and of hope. It was a timely Epeech, "for the past two weeks have held many dark days for every loyal and true-hearted Briton. For the first time since the beginning of the war there have been doubts expressed lest Germany might ultimately triumph, and the air has been, filled with sounds of unseemly recriminations and unholy discord. Attack's have- indiscrimmativeljr been made upon the men in authority who aro already shouldering heavy burdens, and even Lord Kitchener himself has not been exempt from harsb and cruel criticism. But Sir Edward Carson certainly voiced the popular verdict when he declared that no poorer service could be rendered by any man to his country than to attempt in the smallest degree to shake the confidence of the nation in Lord Kitchener. Lord Derby, who seconded? the vote of thanks, went a good deal further in his indignation against tha members of Parliament who insisted upon asking embarrassing questions. " If spies were shot in the moat of the Tower." exclaimed Lord Derby, " if he had his way, those who asked these questions should be taken there and shot too." There appears to be a commendable desire on the part of all sections of the peoplo to waste no time in recriminations, but to once more present a united front to the enemy, i Mr Churchill voiced this when at the Guildhall he expressed regret at the disputations over things that werepast, and added: "People should • not waste their energies over sterile controversies, but coop their hatred for the common enemy." A similar sentiment was given utterance to by Mr J. H. Thomas, a Labour member, when referring to the Haldane'-Llovd George controversy ; ho declared -that the people would make short work of anyone, however important, who considered his own personal ambition before the nation's interest. And Mr Thomas did not omit to improve the occasion when he added "it was useless to talk to the workers about unity uniess those in authority set the example.* If the men paid to run the nation failed in their duty, the time was not distant," averred Mr'Thomas, "when the workers would rise in revolt." In view of the surrounding circumstances and the atmosphere of dis- .

A Return to First Principles.

content and dissatisfaction ■with .the situation, Lord

Kitchener's speech must be hailed with gratitude and relief 6inc_e it recalls the nation and the Empire to those first principles upon which the present conflict —from Great Britain's point of view—is based. He reminded his hearers that he had taken office not as a politician, but as a soldier, thereby signifying that his mission was rot to quarrel with the state of things as he found them, not even to criticise the policy which had brought them to such a pass. His business, deliberately entered upon, with full knowledge of the herculean task confronting him, was to wage war with Germany in such a fashion as would ensure ultimate victory. He emphasised the fact that Great Britain had elected to stand by the voluntary system of enlistment, and this necessitated an army in peace time of slender dimensions, but with a capacity of potential expansion. This had rendered a reliance upon time an essential part of Great Britain's traditional policy. At the outbreak of hostilities he had warned the nation to prepare for a long and arduous war, and he had seen no ' reason to alter that opinion. Germany had thoroughly prepared for the conflict

bv unremitting efforts for the past 40 years, in consequence of which her miiitar s machine was as complete as it was perfect. In addition, "her vast resources and nei military strength when «W by an autocracy were peculiarly adapted to conduct war, and her long f»P«J*"" enabled the instantaneous use of her■ *Hole resources." Having thus cleared the ground with a vivid contrast between Germany's preparedness for war and Cheat Britain's unpreparedness, Lord K.tcnene swiftly passed under review the salient features of the first year's hostilities, now rapidlv.drawing to a close Concurrent with the dispatch of the Force to Flanders it became his business not only to raise new armies, but also to provide a strong steady stream of reinforcements. The recruiting had been constant and satisfactory, and only limited by the lack of equipment. Most of the preliminary difficulties had now disappeared, and the forces of Great Britain were in a fair way to something akin to efficient organisation. The three greatest needs of the moment were men, material, and money, and these were all in lair way of being supplied. The War Loan, thanks to its favourable reception by the City ot London financiers, was already a marked success, and the energetic efforts of the new munitions department were overtaking the matter of supplies. Lord Kitchener s special business "was to make "another and a larger demand upon the resources of English manhood." The completion ot *„he national registration will give him a list of all the men between 19 and 40 whose services are net required for the -manufacture of munitions and other necessary work. .It was to the very large section of the nation who had l.ot yet lesponded to the call to the front that Lord Kitchener's appeal was addressed. His peroration was an eloquent one. " In every man's life," he exclaimed, "there is a supreme hour, towards which earlier experiences move, and wherefrom all future results are reckoned. That solemn hour is striking for every Briton. Let him heed the opportunity. It is now or never. •Shirk nothing, shrink from nothing. Let Us lend our full weight to the impetus which shall carry to victory the cause of our honour and freedom." The plain meaning of Lord Kitchener's speech is that voluntary

The Voluntary System on Trial.

system of enlistment is on its trial, and that it rests with the people of Great

Britain to decide whether or no compulsion will have to he resorted to The present appeal is for the enrolment of the full strength of Great Brtiain's manhood for service at the front, and the necessary equipment is now available to place the entire force of the efficients under arms. No one will dare question Lord Kitchener's dictum that the vital need to-day is more, and still more. men. The-national registration will enable the Government to press voluntarism almost to the point of compulsion : it will be difficult for the shirker to escape the meshes of the wide spread net. In the first class will be placed those* whose services cannot be dispensed with, those who are a-ctually engaged in fighting the battle at. the home base. The second class covers all below or over the age .limit, under 19 or over 40. There then comes a third class of inefficients, by reason of physical disability or other causes. The'remainder belong to a "fourth class, ail eligible for enrolment, and the call comes first to the unmarried men, and afterwards to the married. To those who disobev this call, unless for some very special or imperative reason, only one epithet can be employed, the contemptuous name of "shirker." It is highly gratifying to note that Lord Kitchener prefaced his appeal by flattering reference to the ready response of the Dominion to the call of the Motherland. His words under this head merit reproducing here:—"Our thoughts naturally turned to the splendid efforts of the Dominions, who throughout had ranottd themselves beside the Motherland. The Indian armies really were the first in the field, the Canadians closely followed, and were now associated with their Anglo-French comrades in Flanders, "presenting a solid and impenetrable front. The Australians and New Zealanders, combined with the Anglo-French forces at the Dardanelles, had already accomplished a feat of arms almost unexampled for its brilliance, and were pushing the campaign to a successful conclusion. In each of the great Dominions new and large contingents were preparing. South Africa, not content with the successful accomplishment of an arduous campaign in South-west, Africa, was now offering large forces for Europe." It is vrell that Lord Kitchener has made the example of the

Lessons for Ihis Dominion.

Dominions the basis of his appeal to the people of

L Great Britain to develop her military resources to their utmost limits. Here in New Zealand, as in Great Britain, there is need to hark bade to the first principles which brought us into the front rank of a. European conflict. The underlying idea was that no sacrifice could be too great in the defence of that great Empire to which we are so proud to belong. To that end men volunteered and money was freely given under the influence of the first hurst of patriotic enthusiasm. But as the conflict has been prolonged, and as unexpected difficulties have arisen, the early enthusiasm has to some extent evaporated, and there is a danger of a spirit of carping criticism taking its place. It is more than possible that the time is at hand when some system of national registration will become necessary in the Dominion, for it stands to reason, after Lord Kitchener's appeal, that the aid which New Zealand will proffer must be up to the limit of its available manhood. Under these circumstances it behoves members of Parliament to abstain from anything approaching caption criticism., to which end" the formation of a Coalition Cabinet would prove of assistance. It is unfortunate that

for health reasons the breaking up of the Trcntham camp has become a necessity, and it is doubly unfortunate that so many deaths occurred before the decision was arrived at; but it is folly to waste time and breath in endeavouring to find a scapegoat. In appointing a Royal Commission of enquiry the Government have done the only possible thing, and judgment may well bo deferred until that commission makes its report. Meanwhile it is of the utmost importance that nothing shall be done to check the stream of recruiting—a stream which we hope will be materially swelled by Lord Kitchener’s appeal. Viewing the situation broadly, prospects have perceptibly improved within the week. Russia appears to be recovering from the knock-out blows recently delivered by Germany; whilst Italy is steadily making headway. The conference of the Allies at Calais attended by the French and English chiefs surely portends an early move; whilst General Botha’s success in Africa is most heartening; and any day may bring news of victory from the Dardanelles. All this should nerve New Zealand to determine to do her share, and more than her share, in bringing about victory.