The Dominion. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1914. A FIGHT TO A FINISH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2249, 8 September 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1914. A FIGHT TO A FINISH

TitE Prime Minister's announcement tiiat the New Zealand Expeditionary Force is.to be kept iip>to its full strength while at the front, both as regards, horses and ihen, will meet with,the full approval of the. whole country. But when one realises the greatness of the crisis and the tremendous issues at stake; it becomes quite evident that New Zealand's part in the conflict will hot be completed when the first Contingent has left our shores. .'As a matter, of fact, o'u-f duty is just, beginning. The recent speeches ot MR. Asquith, Lord Rosebery, ; Sir Edward-.Grey, and. Lord, Kitchener'.'jWo made'it quite-clear that the Empire is how passing through 1 the sup t erne crisis in its' history. The task of crushing Germany's Napoleonic ambitions will tax the.resources of the Allies to the. utmost. Every part of the British, Eriipire will have to shoulder its full share of .the burden, and the people of this Dpmin : ion are jvell aware that they will have to. make great sacrifices. The duty of maintaining our force at its full strength is so obvious that it was hardly riecsssary for the Prime Minister .to refer to' it. -Most people' probably took it for granted that' this would be done, and Mri. Massey's announcement at Christchurch that a second Expeditionary Force,-will be dispatched,is not likely to cause airy surprise. It has become quite evident to everyone who has endeavoured to.understand the situation that the Empire is fighting for its life, and that it cannot afford to take any risks. Lord Charles Beresfoed' declares that Britain requires a million fighters, and when we think of the trcmeh L doits arniiie's which the Other Powers engaged in -the war have put into the ifield. wewill not be inclined to regard this estimate as extravagan.t. Britain l is no doubt beginning to realise how much stronger bar position would be to-day if she had had a system of compulsory military training in full working order; but it is useless _to. indulge in-vain regrets. It' is satisfactory to know that she is making the best use of the resources at present at her disposal, and that.Lord Kitchener is successfully building up the Army so that before long it will be worthy of the Empire as regards both numbers and efficiency. British public men are doing their utmost to help forward the recruiting movement, and there has been a very fine response; but the mass-of the people clo not even yet seem to havo fully realised that their very existence as an independent nation is at stake. The position_ is riow' being placed before them in unmistakable terms, and tho fact that the Trades Union Congress has passed a resolution favouring conscription, if the volunteer system fails, is an encouraging sign that the efforts made have not been wasted. It is always difficult for any genoration to appreciate the real signu ficance of its own doings. The actors are too close to tho events for which they themselves are responsible to be able to see things in their true _ perspective. History, in the opinion of the average man, is something which we read about in books. He does not adequately realise that wo are making history to-day just as our forefathors did I in tho days of Elizabeth or George | 111. But it is nevertheless true. It may be hard to believe that "the present is, perhaps, a more solemn moment than any in the history of the world," and yet these arresting •words of Lord Rosebery do not in any way exaggerate the magnitude of the terrible drama which is now being acted on the world's stage. It is not merely a war of armies that is being waged,, but a war of nations, and it is to be a fight to a finish. Both sides know that they are engaged in a life and death conflict. There is nothing to be gained by shutting our eyes to facts. Our enemy is strong and remorseless, and k fighting with the utmost desperation because he knows as well as we do that "this war will not be ended by the cession of territory or a money imlerimity." Defeat will mean something like national extinction. To ensure success in such J

a tremendous trial of strength enormous sacrifices may he necessary, but we know what is at stake, and tho Empire is fully determined to carry the struggle through to success at all. costs.. Wc have every reason for confidence. Our resources are enormous, and bur staying, power, as a nation is probably greater than ever it was.. Taking all things into consideration, our prospects are certainly better than those of our onemies, and Lobd Rosebery expresses the feeling of Britishers throughout the world when he says "wo are going to win." The Empire stands solid as a rock in this crisis. Every part of it is ready to support the Imperial Government to the utmost with'siip r plies, moriey, and men. Our first Contingent is ready to,sail at ' any moment; the Prime Minister has announced that a second will be sent; and it may be.taken for granted that a third will follow, if necessary, and so on as long as the need continues. _ Every other British community is actuated by the same spirit; and if the war is to be a long one not one of,the belligerents is likely to stand the strain better than our own Empire.