"SOMETHING STERNER.”

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144859, 10 December 1915, Page 7

"SOMETHING STERNER.”

LORD ROSEBERY’S WARNING TO SLACKERS. LONDON, Oct. 11. Lord Rosebery, speaking on Friday at a meeting at Leith, emphasised tho vital importance to tho AUscs of making use of all their resources to bring the war to a successful issue. Lord Rosebery said ho thought that all that could bo done by recruiting speeches had been done already, and that it men would not come in, some more serious and drastic plan would have to bo adopted. What, ho asked, would happen if wo were to lose? Ho did not regard that as probable, but if every man who could come did not come, tho war would drag on for years, sucking the very marrow out of tho bonos of tho nation. But supposing we were to Jose-—everything was possible in this war—these islands invaded, taxed, dominated by tho Prussians, a more burned-out country. The probability was that then every selfrespecting man would bo seeking refuge in some of the outer dominions beyond the seas. That was what was before us if wo would not put out tho full strength of the country. That we should win he did not doubt; but wo should have to put all our elbow grease into the war if we were going to win promptly. We must have the full and strenuous energies of tho nations applied to this war. We were spending four millions a dnv. and if the war dragged on for years we should not merely lose our four millions a day, but wo should lose the Pest of our manhood and wo should be an exhausted country for a century to come even if wo won. The need was infinitely greater now than before. With the torch of war lit in tho Balkans, heavy, direful oxplosions were oortain to follow. If tho gentle methods of appeal and harangue did not succeed, in getting enough men, there was something sterner coming. If tho war turned to tho advantage of Germany the young man who did not enlist would be slinking about tho streets like a leper, fooling that as far as ho was concerned tho country was demolished, and he did not raise a finger to save her.