HEARTS OF OAK.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17131, 18 June 1927, Page 13 (Supplement)

HEARTS OF OAK.

LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD. (By “Marama.”); Earl Haig has made an important pronouncement on the achievements of Great Britain in the late war. During the greater part of the time he was in command of the British forces, and surely no great commander has ever borne himself so modestly. He has at last spoken out and claimed for the British forces the credit that is due to them. As he says, we have ascribed victory to all sorts of causes, the military genius of our Allies, the mistakes of the enemy, the intervenion of the Americans. In an age of advertising the Briton remains modest and refuses to shout out doud what he has done. Recently a prominent Home politician, who might have been thought busy on other matters, has written a long description of various episodes in the war, largely intended to show that the politicians had a much better idea how the war should be run than the soldiers. To err is human, and no doubt the soldiers made misa takes enough, but mankind will not be convinced that the politicians would have done as well. Mr Winston Churchill, the author of the book in question, is not amongst the modest people. Earl Haig is remarkable as the one man prominent in the war who has not written a book, and he has thereby earned a right to put forward his claim on behalf of the troops he led. The claim will not be contested for it can be upheld by figures, and though these are not commonly welcome they are sufficiently impressive to deserve study. Brought to the Proof. The United Kingdom—that is England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales —recruited 5,700,000, the rest of the British Empire 1,425,000. Indian and coloured troops in addition numbered 1,500,000. In the United Kingdom the percentage of enlistments to male population* was larger in England than in either of the other divisions. The percentage was 27.28 against 13.48 for Canada, 13.43 for Australia, and 19.35 for New Zealand. The percentage of casualties to the male population, was '10.91 for the United Kingdom, G. 04 for Canada, 8.50 for Australia, and 9.80 for New Zealand. These are striking figures, and when we consider that the age distribution in the Dominions differs from that in the United Kingdom in that a larger proportion of the population is young, it becomes still more impressive. There is, of course, much to be said for the fact that the iwar was remote, and did not come home to men’s imagination in the Dominions in the same way that it did in the United Kingdom. The achievement of the Dominions was magnificent, and the moral effect was as great as the physical, while the wonderful response of the Native Princes of India, the Rajahs and Maharajahs should be a sufficient answer to those who would belittle what Britain has done, for India. Let Loose the Dogs of War. The most wonderful thing about the British achievement in the war was that immense military effort was accompanied by the naval effort which swept the seas of enemy shipping and maintained the closest of blockades for four long years. At the same time British mercantile shipping maintained supplies, transported troops, and met the wants of our Allies, and all thi3 i was done in spite of the cruel losses due to submarines. Even this does not exhaust the British efforts. They supplied munitions for Allies as well as for themselves, and they found tho money to finance other nations in addition to themselves. The money came to an end before the war did, and Britain had to rely on American assistance. The assistance was valuable on the side of finance, and for confln- , ing food supplies to the Allies, but the actual fighting force arrived too 4 ate to do much. The percentage of enlistments to the population was not great, but the casualties were heavy for the short time they were engaged. Among the figures not commonly appreciated are the number of, casualties aifd most people will be surprised to learn that the number in the United Kingdom was higher than in France, namely 2,453,266 to 2,138,100. in Italy it was 1.937,000. The figures are easily written but when we add to them the losses of the Dominions, of Roumania, Serbia, Belgium and tiie United States we reach a sum total of human misery that staggers imagination. At stated intervals mankind seems possessed, and loses all the qualities which distinguish us from the brutes that perish. The great conquerors of the world left a trail of misery behind them, but when they have lost the power of creating such havoc, men go mad without the excuse of leaders who start the evil. The Course of Empire Takes Its Way. . It requires some great*crisis such as the war to show how great are the resources of Britain, and, also we may fairly say how high the spirit that animates the people.- Britain had her period of magniloquence and could • boast of her doings when they were small enough compared to to-day. Shakespeare has more than one passage of rational assertion. Britain has outgrown the tendency and considers it good form to let others sound her praises. In one way it is a mistake, for ether countries are much to a busy advertising themselves .to find time to point out excellence in others. But, although as a matter of worldly, wisdom, it may be a mistake one would not have it otherwise. When people discover excellence for themselves they are much more impressed than when it is thrust upon them. Britain’s modesty brings her many friends in many countries, and these friends are amongst the choicest spirits. Henry James, the novelist, resigned his American nationality to take up the British when the war commenced, and Britain has many warm friends in the United States though they may make small showing with the politicians. We have had our jingo politicians at different times, and have later had tj regret they ever existed. Perhaps that is why Britain is little inclined to ■vaunt herself to-day. Kingdoms rise and fall. “Assyria, Greece. Rome, Carthago, where are they,” and it may be that* the future contains the same fate for Britain. All that can be said is that no sign of anything of the kind has yet shown itself. Britain has shown a remarkable capacity for growth. During the last century the off-shoots developed from colonies to Dominions, and then to sister nations but still within the British EmH pjr,. ’ There is sap in the old tree, and the race that has achieved so much and spread so far has before it unexplored possib'ilites of endeavour and achievement.