The Dominion. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27. 1914. THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2239, 27 August 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27. 1914. THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF WAR

War has been defined 1 as "the, armed conflict of national wills—an appeal to force as between nation and nation." Such an appeal to force necessarily involves much suffering and destruction,.and this' is what we have in mind when we speak of the horrors of war. -Therecan be no doubt that war is a terrible scourge; but it ought not to be forgotten that there is'a-nother, and a.brighter, side to the* picture. There are times in its history when no country can,, without loss of selfrespect, shirk the responsibility of an appeal to force, and when it enters into.a conflict with the .knowledge that' it has_ a just quarrel some of tiie finest trai.ts in' the character of the nation and of the .individual citizen are exhibited and-developed. The-British Empire at the present moment is a living witness to this Jac't. The war has caused a wonderful transformation in the Empire's manner of looking at things,.and.in no British community is this change more marked than in New; Zealand. Our public'life has been steadied by. tho intensification of that element of seriousness which gives strength and depth to individual and national oharacter. ■ As soon'as the, news camo that Britain had, decided to enter into the tremendous struggle now raging in Europe the whole community seemed'to realise by one of thoso human intuitions which are often quicker and surer in their action than any process'of reasoning, that private interests, personal comforts, and political opinions were not worth worrying about when placed • in comparison with the'vast issues which the war had raised.' Our outlook on tho "world has been broadened and our sympathies enlarged. Our own little corner of the earth is still very important to us; but the narrowest visioned of ■ us no longer look upon it as something standing by itself, but rather as part of a greater whole—the Empire. The "result oi the struggle means so much to tho Empire that our. party poli-. tics, social distinctions, and personal comforts have been forgotten for the time being. We know that we must be prepared to'make sacrifices, and in doing so we-realise more deeply than ever before that our country is well worth all the sacrifices we may make for it. The common danger has welded all sections of the com.munity together. Tho experience which tho nation is now passing through' has widened and dceponed our sympathies and helped us . to understand one another better and to realise that after all most of our differences arc merely on the surface. If war can do all this, it at' least has some redeeming features. Our national character is tho outcome of our whole history, and in' that history war has played a vei's' large part. Tho present struggle must leave a permanent mark, and the lessons in unity which it has taueht us can never be entirely effaced. Our national character cannot bo exactly the same after the war as it was_ before. It will have more iron in it, and it will be all the better for a little stiffening up. Many people are repelled by tho iron creed of OaomVEu, and his

Ironsides; but that iron creed made .iron men, and gave them power in their fight against tyranny. Since the Norman Conquest Britain has had to battle again and again for its very life, In this school of hardship and suffering the nation has learnt how to endure, adversity with fortitude and to turn temporary defeat into ultimate victory. Lifo would bo a very poor and mean thing Wore men but formed to feed' On joy, to solely 6eek and find the feast j Such feasting ended, then As suro an end to men. Long periods of unbroken peace tend to make-nations flabby and effeminate, jus.t as a soft, luxurious lifo weakens individual character. Tho severe discipline' of struggle and conflict makes strong men. Tho personality of men and women is enriched by suffering and sclf-sapri-fioe. In a crisis like the present we aro put upon our mettle. Our quality is put to tho test by the knowledge that much depends on what wo do and how we do, it. It is tho recognition of this fact that makes us feel that the whole atmosphere of our social and public life has been changed by tho impressive manner in which the moaning of Empire and its responsibilities has been brought home to us. The Canadian correspondent of the London Times tells us that "the war has brought a revelation to Canada." It has certainly brought'a revelation to New Zealand. It is just as truo of ourselves as of the people of Canada that "some of our cherished beliefs have been absolutely shattered and dawning convictions powerfully strengthened." Recent events have thrown new light upon. Imperial problems and have made Imperial sentiment a much more real and robust thing than ever it was before. New Zealand has already shown very unmistakably that Imperialism is something more than mere flag-wav-ing. Our citizen soldiers are eagerly responding to the Empiro's oall for men, and we are determined to do , all that we have promised in this I matter, and even more should the j necessity arise. ■ - • II