LORD KITCHENERS SPEECH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2283, 17 October 1914, Page 8

LORD KITCHENERS SPEECH

"FOR THE WAR OF THREE YEARS" WHAT THE COUNTRY HAS TO DO t i tr-. i London, August 26. lord Kitchener made his first speech as Minister for War in tho House of Lords yesterday. His welcome was most cordial and passages in his speech were greeted with such a volume of cheers as is seldom heard in that Assembly. Lord Kitchener said: Aβ this is tho first time I have had the honour of addressing your lordships I must ask for the indulgence of the House. In the first place, I desiro to make a personal statement.' Noble lords on both sides of the House doubtless know that while associating myself in tho fullest degree for the prosecution of the war with my colleagues in His Majesty's Government, my position on this bench dogs not! iu any way imply that I belong to any political party—(cheers)— for, as a soldier, I have no politics. Another point is that my occupation of tho post of Secretary of State for War is a temporary one. Tho terms of my service are the same as those under which some of the finest portions of our manhood, now so. willingly stepping forward to join the colours, are engaging—that is to say, for the war, or,' if it last longer, then for three years. < :

It has been asked why tho latter limit has been fixed; It is because should this disastrous war be prolonged —and no one can foretell with any certainty ite duration—then after three years' war there will be others fresh and fully prepared to take our places and see this matter through.

The very serious conflict in which we are now engaged on the Continent has been nono of our seeking. (Cheers.) It will undoubtedly strain the resources of our Empire and entail considerable sacrifices on our people. These will bo willingly borne for our honour and the preservation of our position in the world, and will be shared' by our Dominions beyond the seas, now sending contingents and .assistance* of every kind to help tho Mother Country in this struggle. (Cheers.) , , : If I am unable owing to military considerations for the best interests of tho Allied Armies in tho field to speak with much detail on the present situation of our army on the Continent, • I am sure your lordships will pardon mo for the necessary restraint which is imposed upon me. ■ \ Sir J, French's Report.

The Expeditionary Force has taken the field on the French north-west frontier and advanced to the neighbourhood of Moiis, in Belgium. ■•'■•. Our troops have already been for 30 hours in 'contact with a superior force of.German invaders, and during that time they have maintained the traditions of British soldiers and have behaved' with tho utmost gallantry. Tho movements which they have been called upon to execute have been those Which demand the greatteet steadiness in tho soldiers and.skill in their commanders. ■■ Sir John French telegraphed to me at midnight as follows: — "In spite of hard marching and fighting, tho British force is in tho best of spirits." I replied: • . "Congratulate troops on their splen-. did worfc. .•■•Wβ are.allflproud of them." As your' lordships-are" aware, European fighting causes greater casualties than, the campaigns in which we are

generally engaged in other parte of tho world., The nation will, I am snro, bo fully prepared to meet whatever losses and sacrifices wo may havo to make in this war. Sir John French estimates, without having been able to verify the numbers, tlio losses since tho commencement of active operatione at rather nioro than 2000 men hore de com: bat. , Press and Public Aid. ' As to the work of tho last few weeks, I have to remark that when war was declared mobilisation took place without any hitch whatever, and our •Expeditionary Forco proved itself wholly efficient and well equipped and immediately ready to take the field. Tho Press and tho public have in their respective spheres lent invaluable aid to tho Government in preserving a discreet silence which tho exigencies of the situation obviously demanded, and I gladly tako this opportunity of bearing testimony to tho value of their co-opera-tion.

Tho hands of the military authorities were also strengthened by the readiness with which tho civilian community faced and accepted tho novel situation created by ihe iesuo of requisitions for horses, transport, supplies, nnd billets. The railway companies in tho all-im-portant matter of transport facilities Have more than justified the complete

confidence reposed in thom by the War Office; all grades of railway service have laboured with untiring energy and patience. (Cheers.) And it is well to repeat that the conveyance of our troops across the Channel was accomplished, thanks to the cordial co-operation of the Admiralty, with perfect smoothness and without any untoward incident whatever. (Cheers.) Superb Belgian Struggle. Wβ know how deeply tho' French people appreciate and valuo tho prompt assistance we have been able to afford them at the very outset of tho war, and it is obvious that not only the moral but the material support our troops are now rendering must prove to be a factor of high military significance in restricting the Bphero and determining the duration or hostilities. Had tho conditions of strategy permitted, everyone in this country would have rejoiced to see us ranged alongside the gallant Belgian Army in that superb struggle against desperate odds which has jUBt been witnessed. (Cheers.) But although this privilege was perforce denied to us, Belgium knows of our sympathy with her iu her sufferings, of our indignation at the blows which have been inflicted upon her, hnd also of our resolution to make euro 'that in the end her sacrifices will not have been unavailing. (Cheers.) While other countries engaged in this war have under the system of compulsory service brought thoir full resources of men into the field, we under our national system have not done so, and can therefore still point to a vast reserve drawn from the resources both of the Mother Country and. of the British Dominions across the seas. (Cheers.) , Territorial Patriots. The response which has already been made by the great Dominions abundantly proves that we did not look in vain to these sources _of military strength, and while India, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are all sending us powerful contingents, in this country the Territorials are replying with loyalty to the stern call of duty, which has come to them with such exceptional force.

Over 70 battalions have, with fine patriotism, already volunteered for service abroad, and when trained and organised in the larger formations will be able' to toko their places in the line. The 100.000 recruits for which,in the first place it 'has been thought necessary to call have been already _ practically secured (cheers), and this force will bo trained, and organised in divisions similar to those which are now serving on the Continent. Behind these we have our Reserves. The Special Reserve and the National Reserve have ! each their own part to play in the organisation of our national defence. The Empire with whom wo are at war have called to the colours almost their entire-male population. A principle we on our part shall observe is this: that, while their maximum force undergoes a constant'diminution, the reinforcements we prepare shall steadily and increasingly flow out until we have an army in tho field which in numbers, not less than in quality', -will not be unworthy of the power and responsibilities of the British Empire; I cannot-at this stage say what will be the limits of the forces required or what measures may eventually becomo necessary to supply and maintain them. The scale of the field army which we are now calling into beuiß is largo and may rise in the course of the next six or seven months to a total of thirty divisions continually maintained in the field. 'But if the war should be protracted, and if its fortunes should bo varied or adverse, exertions and sacrifices beyond any which have been demanded will be required from the wholo <nation and Empire, and where they arc required we are sure thoy will not be

denied to tho extreme needs of ■ the State by Parliament or the people. (Cheers.)'