NATIONAL UNITY

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7717, 9 May 1916, Page 4

NATIONAL UNITY

SPEECH BY LLOYD GEORGE. PLAIN STATEMENT OF HIS POSITION. Per Press Association—Copyright. , LONDON, May 6. Mr Iloyd George, speaking at Conway, said the task on hand was not for one of two parties, but for the whole nation. It was necessary to preserve absolute national unity until a national triumph was obtained. The sole condition of victory was unity. In a month’s time he would give an account of his stewardship after a year’s munition work. Meantime he could say that the output of munitions, also the capacity to furnish further supplies, had enormously increased. The nation’s achievement in raising ‘huge voluntary armies was something whereof she might be proud, something almost unparellelcd in history. But the numbers would be diminished by the end of the summer, and it became clear that they must resort to other methods. NOT A KID GLOVE GAME. There was no indignity in compulsion, which simply meant that the nation organised itself for war in orderly, consistent and resolute fashion. We could not run the war like a Sunday school treat. We could not make the same contribution of men in proportion to population as France, because we were supplying France and our other. Allies with steel, coal and explosive material. Still there was a considerable margin of men, if need arose, for increasing our armies. Women were coming in large numbers to the rescue of the men. There were three hundred thousand women in the munition works. I believed,, and still believe, that the necessity for compulsion arose in September-. I admire Lord Derby’s colossal efforts, but the Derby scheme was not voluntary. It possessed many of the disadvantages of compulsion and voluntarism without either’s advantages. TREACHEROUS INTRIGUE.

Mr Lloyd George denounced the base and treacherous personal intrigues of those alleging him capable of advancing his own ends when he was bent on winning the war. He was glad that his clandestine and surreptitious assailants were now forced into the open. He had been subjected to a cloudy discharge of poison gas. If any man could believe the testimony of the person who invents private conversations in order to malign a friend, I seek neither his friendship nor support. He had worked with Mr Asquith for ten years most harmoniously, and would ill have requited Mr Asquith’s great kindness if he had remained an automaton, not expressing his opinions freely, candidly, and independently, a counsellor professing constant agreement with his leader only to betray him. VICTORY CERTAIN. He viewed war with hatred and therefore he wished this to be the last, but it would not be the last unless it was effectively conducted. Time was not our ally; time was a doubtful neutral not yet won over to our side. The Allies were united, but their design and co-ordination left much to be desired. Austro-Germany were pooling all their forces, brains, and efforts. We possessed the means, hut the Germans too often possessed the methods. Let us apply their methods to our means and victory would be certain. Trust the people, tell them what is happening; there is nothing to conceal. Our people were courageous. They would respond with enduring steadfastness, devotion and faith. A unanimous vote of confidence was carried. Mr Lloyd George afterwards addressed an immense overflow meeting. “ASSASSIN I” ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE MINISTER. LONDON, May 8. Mr A. G. Gardner, of the “Daily News,” in a further letter, to Mr Lloyd George, says: “It is much easier to say ‘Assassin’ and speak of poison gas than to meet the accusations which you know arc true and to which you have no answer. Yours is a swift but shallow mind which has made you contemptuous of more stable and trustworthy minds. It has self-hypnotised and persuaded you that you alone can save the nation. The charge was not that you disagreed with Mr Asquith, but that you had agreements with Mr Asquith’s declared enemies.”