BRITAIN’S CLEAN RECORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16763, 12 June 1920, Page 7

BRITAIN’S CLEAN RECORD.

IN THE GREAT WAR. In concluding his speech on Monday to the New Zealand ''Club, General Birdwood said:— Finally, when we gave thanks to God for winning this war, another thing we ■should give thanks for was that for the last 500 years Britons had been what they are. Britain had sent- forth exactly the same men to fight the Armada as she and her colonies had sent forth in the last war—(applause)— men who went willing to die fearlessly for their King, their country, and right. (Applause.) He knew what cause we had to be really proud of these men. (Applause.) OUR HANDS CLEAN. He thought, • however, that we, as a nation, hardly took credit enough foi the fact that throughout the whole ol this fighting our hands had been clean. Not only in lighting the enemy—because in that the hands of men of the British race would always be clean; but ho meant, also, in entering the war. We had not gone into the war for gain or for self-aggrandisement, Wo did nothing to bring it about.' We entered it purely for right and justice. (Applause.) But one small rift we could point to, in which it could be said that, -wo had failed, in that we were unready—not only unready, but obviously unready. Had Germany thought what tire British Navy could expand to; had she thought that Britain could send sixty divisions into the field, Australia five, Canada four, and Now Zealand one, the war would noi have come when it did. Probably it would have comb later, however, because the expense of Germany’s preparations wore so terrible.- But if il had to come, then the sooner the better, because later Germany' would have been still better prepared. If wo had slept for another twenty y'ears and Germany had gone on preparing, goodness only knew what the. result would have been. AVo had been unwilling to pay the insurance premium; and it was only right that on us should fall the loss—not only in treasure, but, unfortunately. also in the fine men wo had lost AVo must see that for tiro future wc wcre’fnllv insured, prepared for whatever might come-. (Loud and long applause and cheering, followed by the strains of “For He’s a Jollv Good Fellow.”)