GERMAN COLOSSUS

Southland Times, Issue 17816, 21 August 1916, Page 7

GERMAN COLOSSUS

MR HUGHES’ WARNING. GO ON OR GO DOWN, (Times Sydney Sun Cable). LONDON. May 27. Mr Hughes, who travelled from Liverpool In the Royal carriage attached to the express, received a remarkable welcome at Manchester. Thousands lined the streets, In some places ten deep. Military honours were rendered by the Manchester Regiment. Mrs Hughes and the baby and Mr Fisher accompanied Mr Hughes. The Lord Mayor, Alderman A. G. Copeland, In conferring on Mr Hughes the freedom of the city, paid a tribute to the capable organisation and administration of the resources of Australia. As Mr Hughej was not in the best of health a speech was not expected from him. It was believed that he would reserve his strength for the mass meeting in the Freetrade Hall. To the delight of the audience Mr Hughes spoke for 45 minutes, his eloquence and sincerity raising them to the highest enthusiasm. Mr Hughes said that Manchester was linked with Australia by many ties of kinship as well as by trade. Australia was being modelled on lines prevalent In Manchester and England. They ought to regard the Empire as the greatest heritage that had ever fallen to man. They ought to earnestly consider the question of developing their tremendous resources. Australians w6re conscious of the greatness of their destiny, and they were striving to carry it out. That was the spirit in which Australians went into battle. The .nation must go on or go down. There was no halting. SELF-DEPENDENT EMPIRE. The municipal address to Mr Hughes was contained irt a magnificent silver casket. Mrs Hughes received a volume of views. The resolution conferring the freedom of the city referred to the indomitable heroism of Australian troops and the gallant help of the Australian Navy, which had won the admiration of the Empire and the Allies, and clothed the Commonwealth naval and military annals with undying fame. At the Lord Mayor’s function Mr Hughes thanked Manchester for . tending 1500 ’wounded Australians, who had been made to feel that they were among friends who loved them as if they were sons and brothers. These things, ho said, would be remembered by those who were returning. Australia was breathing the same Spirit as was animating England, who, too. would acknowledge that Australians, though born thousands of miles away, were chips of the old block. Ho hoped that advantage would be taken of this great opportunity to make the Empire, if not self-dependent, at least not dependent on their mortal enemy. The Free Trade Hall was crowded, over 4000 people being present. Leading commercial and industrial representatives were on the platform. Mr Hughes had a wonderful reception, MECCA OF FREE TRADE. He said: “Macauley’s New Zealander is not a more improbable figure than the reception by this meeting of an Australian treading upon the heels of action of ( the Chamber of Commerce which pre- 1 sages the downfall of Britain's present economic policy in this Its Mecca. The war has shown us that the relations between economic policy and national safety are such that to act as if they were not related would be national suicide. Realising this the Chamber of Commerce in Manchester the Mecca of Laissez Falre —has overwhelmingly declared that an economic policy which for three-quarters of a century has been regarded with almost religious veneration is inadequate in a great crisis. In-' spired by Manchester, the people of Britain will do likewise. I hope that the new day will not bo long delayed." Mr Hughes add.ed that he had endea r voured during his visit to Britain to set out what seem to be the gravity of the situation, and the things needed to deal with it. In some quarters he may have given offence, but no apology was necessary for a man speaking out of the ful-, ness of his heart. He was certain that an effective economic policy could, bo devised that would;- hasten victory and deal with the ifter-wstr problem# ” The present policy would not win the, war or secure to the Allies the fruits of victory. It would do nothing for labour. nor would it ensure our commercial welfare. Our most effective weapon against the enemy was the economic weapon, and it would be criminal to neglect Its use. Were we so spineless as to allow Germany to straddle the world like a Colossus, and gather up the economic reins of our Empire? If we were to reap the fruits of victory we must turn over a new economic leaf and act now. MANCHESTER CHEERS. The audience rose and cheered again and again the speaker’s reference to Manchester’s altered flscalism, to the throwing off of the German yoke by Australia; and his final intimation that he would shortly submit two concrete propositions. “It will depend upon tne support of the British people whether the powers that be accept or do not accept the propositions.’’ he added. Sir Algernon Firth, president of the Association of Chambers of Commerce, he was glad that Manchester had fallen Into line. Hu hoped that Mr Hughes would convey to Australia the appreciation of the people of . Britain of the heroism of Austral lans on the battlefield. ' Mr Hughes was greatly gratified with the welcome accorded him in Manchester. It is universally agreed that the scene in the Free Trade Hall was an historic one.