The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1914. THE WAR FOR FREEDOM.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15446, 8 September 1914, Page 6

The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1914. THE WAR FOR FREEDOM.

Lord Rosebery's speech, on the war is a fitting- climax to the series of great speeches Ave have had from Mr Asquith, Sir Edward Grey, and Mr Bonar I<aw. " The Times" has condemned the folly of the Press censors because-, at the beginning of' the , war, when it was particularly important that the Dominions oversea should know for what compelling reasons Great Britain had drawn the sword, the speeches of Mr Asquith and Sir Edward Grey in justification of hostilities were held back for several days, and then only cabled in a mutilated form. It would puzzle anybody to ' conjecture what imaginary object the censors can have thought to serve by delaying and restricting the message of these utterances. True, the words of British statesmen in defence of freedom might have reached Berlin. The German censors, we imagine, would ' have frustrated that result. But supposing that the German censors had been careless, it coxild only be to the advantage of Great Britain for the German people to know why she went to Avar. The Germans will not fight better when they realise that they are fighting for a despot's dream, and that then enemies arc fighting for national good faith and freedom. The Dominions, happily, understood quite well why a sword-hating Britisli Government had unsheathed the sword. Their very remoteness, and the detached view which it gives them, allows them to see some main currents in the, welter of world politics more quir.kly than the British masses who are in the centre rf the,whirlpool. ~\Ve have no doubt, however, that, before this "the British masses have learned to see why British policy must oppose the hostile march of Kaiser policy to the end.

One delusion which we might have formed lias been destroyed by this war. Our fathers fought for freedom, and, during pleasant years of peace, it was easy to imagine that they had secured it for all time. But human conditions are as changing' as the sea.

Nothing i-s secured for a longer period than we are able to maintain it. Now the British people must defend the freedom, which their fathers won. "We had thought perhaps that when. Napoleon assailed the liberties of Europe a hundred years ago, and tlie menace of his power was quenched in blood, that peril was destroyed for ever. Now a new Napoleon has arisen, and as Britain a century ago saved Europe, she must save Europe and herself again. We can be thankful for the ease and luxury we have enjoyed, and know that it is ended for a. season. The map of Europe, which had seemed so constant, will be changed by Germany if we" do not change it differently. The map of the whole world would be altered, there would be no British Empire, if Germany could have her way. Happily, we are far stronger now to meet tlie menace of the Kaiser than Great Britain was to meet the menace of Napoleon. That disturber was more formidable than the Kaiser. "When England first took arms against him he was not Emperor of one nation, lmfc master of France, Spain, the Netherlands, and much of Italy. England "stood utterly alone,"' says Green, '"'while the Peace of Luneville secured France from all hostility on the Continent." And England was already suffering from the strain of wars just ended. Her last strong statesman, Pitt, was dying. Her finances seemed exhausted; the country groaned under taxation, tlie army was small, and had not shown itself efficient in the previous war. " We have no General,'' wrote Lord Grenville. '"but some old woman in a red riband.'' How different, is the position of the British Empire with its strong allies to-day! And how unlikely is the Kaiser to play successfully the role which was too great for Napoleon ! So long as we abate no efforts we may well regard the prospects of the present war Avith confidence. "We can apply to the

British Empire tlie words which Mr A. E. Housman applied to the Queen, putting the fullest meaning on that prayer of the National Anthem which is so often Tittered thoughtlessly: Oh! God will save her, fear you not: t Be you the men you've been, Get you the sons your fathers got, And God will save the Queen.