THOUGHTS OF LEADERS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15872, 11 April 1917, Page 9

THOUGHTS OF LEADERS.

OPINION AND THE IV AE

WHO CAN SIGN?

(FROlt OCR OWN COBBESrONDENX.) LONDON, February 27. The Speaker (Right Hon. J. W. Lowther), at a lecture by M. Emilo C'arnmaerts: —■

'•The people who were unanimous in drawing the sword are still unanimous an declining to sheatho it until their objccts have been accomplished. The very small 'pcace at any price' section may bo disregarded. (Cheers.) In a population of 40,000,000 there are sure to bo a ccrtain number of cranks. The pcoplo are as one man behind the Government in waging the war. In the Napoleonic struggles the people wove not unanimous. In the Crimean War there was a considerable peacc party, and in the South African campaign a very lurge section was not behind the Government. Critics have often said that we aro a hypocritical, self-seeking nation, but no one accuses us of ioniency towards injustice. (Cheers.) The time must come when we shall be in a position to sco wrong righted, and although thcro is no demand for revenge, thero is a demand that restitution and reparation shall bo made to the martyred people of Belgium. (pheers.) How is it possible that we can oier enter into any alliance with a nation that treats all conventions and undertakings as mere scraps of paper? That is one of the great difficulties our statesmen will Lave to solve. Tho probability is that beforo we aro able to lign any peace or to come to any tgrcomcnt that wo shall insist upon, belg in a position to sign that peace or como to that agreement with some Government totally different in essence and constitution from that which now misgoverns tho great country of Germany." (Cheers.) SINGLE FRONT FOR THE CHURCHES. The. Dean of Durham (Dr. Henslcy Henson), at a Wcsloyan anniversary: — '■Sinco I came north my vision has been strengthened rather than weakened. I see moro clearly than ever the essential identity of the work carried on by tho Christian Churches. I see that thero must bo a reorganisation, .and wo ought to borrow a lesson from the war, and go on tho lines of having a common council and adopt a s;nglo Front. Tho isolation of the l different Churches is tho root of most of their practical blunders. The war lias shown that democracy is not what it has been thought to be, but selfgovernment by a free and self-respect-inc pcoplo living for the objccts Christ meant tnem to liavo. As ono result, it may bo and- just to exclude the German nation from tho fellowship of humanity. That will bo a ei.'sfortune to us as well as to them, and we should strivo to shorten tho time of separation." / AS OUR ALLIES KNOW IT. Lord Derby, Secretary of' State for War. at the I'.M.C.A.: — "Money wo saw yesterday givon to tho country in abundance. There was a response from this country that will do moro than anything else to show "to our enemies our resolution to continue the war to tho bitter end, however far off that end may bo. 'J ho vrar is not over. You won't win tho war by saying you have won it. lou . got to win it. Be as confident as you like —and I am as confident as anybodybs to tho eventual result of tho war — but don't bo led away, don't be.too optimistic in thinking 'that that end is near, or that that end is to bo easily gained. Thero is nothing pleases somo moro than to hear that tho German position is at its last gasp. It Jiaturally pleases us, but, bolievo ino. I do not think it is true. I believe tho German nation, suffering though it is— Buffering in a way which we hardly realise —has still got an enormous reserve of power, and that it will mako ono gigantic effort to place itself in a position of mastery. This country has suffered much in many wave. But we do not -lmcm*, and, pleaso God, wo shall not know, waT in tho way that the nations on the Continent of Europe know it. Wo are going to see the critical time of tho war in the next few months. I believo and trust, and I confidently predict, that it will be a successful six months for us, but at tho same time don't think it is a walkover. It is nothing of the kind, and j ou must reccive bad news equally with good news, -with the same courage, and. with the same calmness and with the same determination. Thero is one motto that every man and every woman in this country has got to put in front, of himself ana herself if ■we are" going to win this war. _ That motto is: 'Stick it out.' , This is what yon have got to do if you are going to win. 'Stick it out,' whatever the cost, whatever the privation. 'Stick it out' to tho bitter end. That bitter end 'will perhaps mean for you privations, but for those who come after you it will mean freedom from the horrors that have been experienced in tho last two years and a half." (Cheers.) THE SACRIFICE OF LABOUR. Mr Arthur Henderson: , "No class of tho community has displayed a moro splendid patriotism, a more 'unswerving loyalty to the interests of the community and the Allied cause than has tho trade union movement during the whole of the war. I admit that there have been occasions when certain small sections who ought to havo known better and done differently, have given reason for ..disquietude, but 'throughout the whole history of the trade union movement thero is no chapter in my humble opinion 'that will stand more to its crcdit than tho magnificent work which it has Tlone. the ! noble response it has made, or the trc- j mendous sacrifice it has imposed on itself in its determination to do its duty which has characterised tho overwhelming majority of the movement. I havo no hesitation in saying that unless or-' Caniscd labour had subscribed its portion, as it has done, to the unity of the nation, tho great war still not concluded would long ago have lieen lost

and won, and the cause wc are associated with in connexion with our Allies would # have not been tho winner. Never again should tho industrial life ot' this country havo standing to disgrace some of tho social anomalies, tho industrial tragedies, that had disgraced tho industrial and social life of a great civilised community. Capital and Labour had often in tho past, in, tho settlement of their differences by lock-out or strike, forgotten that there ■was a third party, tho community, "whose interests were being seriously jeopardised. By some means or other, 1 hope by a process of education, as tho result of this war, wc shall learn to recognise that settling their differences as in tho past was not only inconsistent with our present standard of civilisation, but that it was inflicting punishment on tons of thousands of innocent people. I trust, therefore, that the co-partnership will bo so extended thas it will bo recognised that tho strike and lock-out, if they have to come at nil, will he the very last thing to ho associated "with industrial life."

THE FRATERNITY OF "WAR. M. Leon Baudot,- in the "Action Francaise": — "Sinco tho month of November, 1914, I have been watching, for my part with lively interest, tho vain attempts made by tlie Germans in Franco and their creatures to cast suspicion between tho Allies, notably between France ancl Great Britain" Tho British are to* day surrounded in France with universal affection, the affection not only of men of letters and journalists, but of the grocer or the chestnut vendor. This affection often assumes tho most spontaneous and most touching forms. Jiel'ore tho common peril the two nations havo learned to know, to admire, to love each other. It is a glorious result which does honour to both. The nation of Corneillo and that of Sheakespeare havo now but ouo reason, but ono heart, but one clenched fist in the face of the enemy. Lot him who would try to harm this fraternal combination beware!"

M. Capus, in tho "Figaro" : — "Germany is under no illusion. The almost fantastic success of the loan shows her the implacable resolution of the wliolo race. Sho is meeting in Great Britain , not, perhaps, her most ardent enemv, nor tho enemy most imbued with hatred—that enemy is Franco —but her most and solid, opponent, and a strong; rival who will not lot her dominato the world. Those who among us doubt Great Britain pro people of narrow or suspicious patriotism. The true patriotism, the far-seeing patriotism, to the future,- implies absolute confidence in the power and nobility of Britain." THE COUNTRY WANTS DADA.

Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, at the Women's United. Scrvico League:— "The men have had two and a half years of constaut strainiand separation from their wives and families. _ _ Ttie strain of separation and of waiting— the latter is the worst—are severe. Nothing is more necessary to a man who is fighting than to know that his wife' is being Kept in good spirits. 1 have had many letters from children .and wives asking when 1 would allow 'dada' to come homo. Some of them wero most touching, and I havo answered a great many —(checi-s) —but I have to say that tho country -needs tho 'dadas.' It is my privilcgo now to speak on behalf of tho men of the wholo Navy and not only of the Grand Fleet. I know the strain on. the latter, but I also apprcciato tho feelings of the men who are serving farther afield, and who cannot console themselves with tho hope that ono <lay they jvill bo in battle with the enemy. THE FUTURE OF LABOUR. Mr John Hodge, Minister of Labour, at the Sales Managers' Association:— "If wo aro going to havo a system of paymonts by results in those trades which havo been in tho past opposed to it, thero must be instilled a feeling of confidence in the minds of tho workmen that they are not going to bo robbed of the result of their extra exertion. Employers havo thought too much of their workpeople as a number of 'hands,' instead of thinking of them as human beings, in recent years X say that what is going to benefit capital must ultimately benefit labour, if labour is wise, but I am afraid' that, liko somo classes of employers, they aro often otherwise. I hope that my trade union friends will Hot be like the ostrich, and bury their heads instead of facin"- the problem or that they will not be blind leaders of the blind. It is only by the closest co-operation between capital 'and labour that in the faco of tho vast expenditure of capital due to tho war wo can hope to maintain our position in the neutral markets of tho world. Every individual must unite to produce as ho never produced before. Wo liavo learned now methods, and I hope that those of my labour friends who believe m skilled crafts will realise that it is no good keeping a skilled man working an automatic machine all his days. Take motor-cars, for instance. Surely w© havo biains and skill enough to turn out a car as cheap and a little better than the Ford car."