RECRUITING RALLY

Southland Times, Issue 17498, 29 April 1915, Page 6

RECRUITING RALLY

ADDRKtfS BY MR HOKXSBV. M.XC sTirjiiNg sp^r'hus. Tlif Municipal Thoat.ro last ovenitis was crowded lo the doors when a recruiting rally was hold. Mr W. D. Hunt presided. The principal item was an address by Mr J. T. M. Hornsby. M.P.. who choose, lor liis subject. “The Great War : A Sin Against Humanity.” Mr Hornsby was in splendid form, and throughout ho held his audience, his undoubted dramatic ability standing him in good stead. His matter, too, was excellently well chosen, and. altogether, Mr Hornsby’s effort was an intellectual treat. He traced the genesis of Prussian militarism; the teachings of the German school of materialism which had perverted Christian sentiment and prepared the way for brutal atrocities. The Kaiser's belief was that ho was in alliance with God. and the belief of the German people in the Kaiser, long and continuously impressed upon them, induced the sacrifices of their lives and all they possessed to aid the Kaiser’s ambitions. The strenuous efforts" of the British authorities to prevent the war; the gallant sacrifice of the Belgian people which prevented the German timetable from being carried out; the cruelties they had suffered and were suffering the famous scrap of paper incident—all were traced from phase to phase in glowing eloquent language. At the conclusion of his address, throughout which Mr Hornsby was frequently applauded, he made a stirring appeal to the young men of the town to join the reinforcements for the Now Zealand Kxpeditionary Force. Mr J. A. Hunan. M.P., also delivered a stirring address. After referring appreciatively to Mr Hornsby’s address, Mr Hunan asked what it would mean to the world, to the people of New Zealand, if Germany won uni. As things were it was our proud boast that we enjoyed rights and privileges greater than were enjoyed by people in most pans of the world. That day they had exercised their rights and privileges, and the workingman had the same rights and privileges ns any other man in the country. What would the position be if they came under German rule and milU tarism 7 In Germany there were 4 U million Socialists, but what influence did they possess 7 Practically none. If the Germans proved to bo conquerors, our land would be parcelled out among German subjects or crushing taxation would be levied, and British officials would be replaced by Germans. Unrestrained, reckless and brutal soldiery would be cultivated in this country. Therefore, they should realise to the full what it would mean if Britain should go under. CA voice : Xo danger.) He was afraid that many did not realise how our forefathers had died on the battlefield and the scaffold fop the cause of liberty and justice. had only a life interest in tie- rights and privileges that lead been wun for us. and it was our duty to hand thorn down to our children. If we did not fight for thos«* rights, we did not deserve to live. He was of opinion that the present struggle would be .i longer one Ilian most people thought. That ilay with outstretched arms Belgium appealed to every young man who wjls capable of bearing arms. Freedom called nil i'Vtv young man lo assist, to assist rims*' who hud already gone to the front, to assist the young men of Australia, and to assist the brave young men of Panada. ' i-mid applause). Four hundred y e.ung men were wanted from Southland, and in* wanted every young man who was physically tit to come forward and enrol, and im man could fight in a nobh-r cause. Mr Hanan concluded bv saying ; *Vump along, young fellows. Do your duty to your King, your country’ and your Kmpire. Colonel Henderson was the next speaker. and Im referred to the work of the National Service League in Ungland, the object i.f which was to foster public opinion in tin direction of inaugurating compulsory military service. One of its principles was that it was the duty of .■very able-bodied man. rich or poor, lush or low. to defend bis country in time or dnng.-r. and Colonel Henderson called on the ynun? men to act upon that principle. •The Rev. If. tV. Kurridge. in the course of a short address, mentioned that three months arm he had volunteered for tip- front as a chaplain, hut so far he had had no reply. However, if ihc war lasted another year, lie might Ltd ills chance to go, and he would he bad to s'>. (Applause i. There had been wars which were not honourable to Britain but 1 1 1 e v had to realise that the war. so far as Britain was concerned, was absolutely and fundamentblv ;t just War.

Tho i'■hairina.n mentioned that Colonel Watson was unable to be present owing 10 iii-healtii. Inn he had forwarded the following message: -—No man could h»i\c a greater honour conferred upon him tium to ho offered l he opportunity of taking his place in tho ranks to light tor his country, for liis Kins and tho flas. to lishl for freedom and liberty ;tnd justice usainst ruthless tyranny, iiidooiis cruelty, and contemptible treachery. There is no press ftans about it, no conscription. no compulsion. Ours is tin - only nation engaged in litis titanic conflict which relies solely upon tho spontaneous loyalty of its citizens to fill the ranks with volunteers. In the I‘nilcd Kingdom three millions of the pick of the nation's manhood have sprung to arras in response to Lord Kitchener's call, and from the uttermost ends of the earth Britain's sons are streaming over land and sea, hastening to take their places in litis momentous struggle under the old flag. i'or over a quarter of a ccntuty Germany lias been preparing for this war. a nation given over to believe a lie. a nation given over to worship a raise god, the god of ruthless might and tyranny, instead of a God of hive and truth ami justice. for years Germany has been spending countless thousands in planting spies in the market places and in the homes of her friendly and unsuspecting neighbours, in secretly putting down concrete foundations for heavy guns in iter neighbours countries, in building military railways and sidings on the frontier of the little country of Belgium, whose independence and neutrality she had adeptly pledged herself to maintain, in attempting by stealthy and treacherous methods to stir up strife and sedition in India, Egypt. South Africa, and other parts of our Krnpire. in intriguing with Mohammedan Turkey to instigate a Holy "War against Christians, regardless of the appalling massacres that would ensue. and in innumerable other equally unscrupulous and treacherous ways preparing for the day, when, in her judgment. the time would be ripe for embarking on a bloody and ruthless war of amrU comment, Evar-o-th ijag fa at stake

for us and for the rosi of the world. If Germany wins, liberty will be overthrown, freedom crushed, justice throttled. mercy butchered. Remember Belgium, patient, industrious unoffending, free: now' crushed ruined, bleeding and starving, her old men and children callously butchered, her women outraged, her homes ami historic monuments devastated. and remember that the Germans have boasted that they will treat our own clear Homeland much worse Ilian Belgium when they Invade it, which if we all do our duty they will never succeed in doing. Now what: are you going to do about it? The question for every able-bodied young man unfettered by responsibility is not. Why should 1 volunteer? The question ought to be. Why should t not volunteer? There are two valid reasons why a young man should not go to the front: 1. If he is physically unfit. ?. If his domestic or business responsibilities render it his duty to stay at home. Unless a young man is debarred by either of these reasons. he accepts a very serious responsibility in refusing to volunteer, and in the years to come he will never to regret that when in the hour of her dire peril his country called to him ho failed to play the man. In the course of his remarks. Mr Hunt read an extract from President Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech, and said that the remarks in it were more applicable to-day than then. He said:—“ Our fathers and the fathers of our Allies of Arancc have brought forth two nations conceived in liberty and dedicated to the propostion that all men are created equal. We are now engaged in a great world struggle . testing whether those nations or any nations so concerned and so dedicated can long endure. "We have met in this far away corner of the Empire. in the midst of this great struggle to consider what we are to do. The brave men. British and French, yes. and Belgian too. who have already laid down their lives at the front, have consecrated their respective nations to the cause of freedom, liberty, and justice. It is for us, the living, to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought have thus far so nobly advanced. It is for us here to highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that these nations under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” During the evening the Rev. H. W Burridge contributed a song, and the Hibernian Hand played two selections, besides playing outside the theatre prior to the meeting. On the initiative of the chairman a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Hornsby for his address, Mr Hunt mentioning that the people of Invercargill were deeply indebted to him. Votes of thanks were also accorded the Hibernian Band and the Hospital nurses who, undertook the collection, which realised £39 17s Od. The singing of the National Anthem brought the proceedings to a close.