A STAGGERING LOAD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145998, 3 December 1917, Page 7

A STAGGERING LOAD.

——— WHO WILL FIRST FALL? LONDON, Nov. 11. At the Guildhall banquet there were 400 f-uests. The banquet was on the most” modest proportions as regards food. Except for the turtle soup, the same meal could have been had anywhere for 3s 6d. The wine provided was in consonance with the food. One bottle of chain■oasne was -Shared 'between 'half a- dozen guests. The meal lasted forty minutes. Ixxrd Curzon, a member of the War Cabinet, toasting “The Allies, said that it was only by the combined concentrated, harmonious and unselfish action of all the Allies that we could'bo certain of victory and a world peace. The Allies had been fighting for threw years, with one heart and one mind, f Wouliknot the future find them more and iWro with one strategy and one front ? U-BOATS HELD— NOT BEATEN.

Replying to the toast of the Imperial Forces, -Sir EricGoddes (First-Lord 1 ol the Admiralty) said that -submarjmsm had not been defeated, but for the present it was Feld, and it would finally -be defeated: (Cheers.) Hut bo did not wish to -lull the country into a sense oi security and complacency. On the- con-i trary, 'he urged that there haWbeemno moment in -the war when there ‘was greater need for steadfastness, courage, determination and solidarity - ‘ Our -losses of ships had becu TGiy heavy, and - although steady reductions had taken place, they were still’heavy. Therefore there Was great need tor a reduction of imports, increased homo production, -and increased shipbuilding. The -sky momentarily was overcast. A great storm was sweeping over the Russian sky, and a passing cloud was obscuring the Italian sun; but that cloud would pass. Moreover, the enemy was suffering from a shortage of essential supplies, want, and disintegration. It was a‘significant fact that the enemy was constantly initiating peace talk. BULLDOG GRIP. He had been accused of optimism, as if optimism was a crime. “Picture for yourselves -a'fighting bulldog with fangs fixed in the enemy’s throat, his body braced, and tail wagging- Is ho a pessimist? No. He is an optimist bom ot determination, confidence and courage. So it is with us.” (Cheers.) But we must provide for a long war and conserve our resources. If this isdono-a real peace might come more suddenly than we dared to hope. • Lord Derby (War Minister) who also replied, said that "the moral of the army was never higher than it is today. Mr. Bonar Law (Chancellor of the Exchequer), replying to the toast of the Ministry, and speaking of the temporary lo vering clouds, said that the future of Russia was a sealed book, but we did not need to despair. No nation ever won or deserved freedom which was not prepared to fight’for it, and which was not ready to strain every nerve to drive out the invader. THE DOMINIONS’ PART. He paid a great tribute to the Dominions’ troops, to whom Englishmen never grudged praisv. Regarding the German allegation that Britain left all the hard fighting to the dominion'forces, he said that none knew better -than the -men from the dominions that nothing they had done had not been equalled by the deeds of their British comrades. (Cheers.) Revie ving the general military situation, Mr. Bonar Law emphasised that Germany had-secured the complete control of the armies of her Allies. Such a control did not exist, and could not exist to the .same -extent among our Allies, because we were a-* league of free peoples, but a step had just been taken which would make the cooperation closer than it had ever been. ONE BIG LINE. To-day an allied -military staff of France, Britain and Italy had been created. -.Cheers.) It -would sit permanently to .sLutiy military problems as a whole, and, as a result of its creation, the whole front from the channel to the Adriatic could in future be treated as one. The enemy’s great advantage was that he could move on internal lines, while we had to move, not across a diameter, but across a circumference. NERVE AND STAYING POWER. In conclusion Mr. Bonar Law said that he refused to prophesy regarding Italy; but believed that the Italians would be able to hold the enemy until aid came from the Western allies. He thought that the German attack on Italy was partly actuated by a hope of dividing the Allies and partly to -keep up the spirits of the German people; but Germany could never win the war until it defeated the Franco-British armies in the west.

He saw no great prospect of an early peace. It was now a. question of nerve and staying power. All the belligerents staggered beneath the load. It was a question as to who was going to fall. He knew that the hearts of onr soldiers and sailors, and those of our Allies would not fail them. (Cheers.)