A PATRIOTIC CAMPAIGN.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2354, 9 January 1915, Page 11

A PATRIOTIC CAMPAIGN.

Sir, —Whatever may be said about the quality of our recruits, it ifl quite ! certain the number of them is not re- J preservative of the martial character , of the British race, and the explanation is easy to- find—the urgency of our need has not been thrust into the head of the average man and woman. In England, Mr. Asquith, the hardestworked man in the country, addressed meetings in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Cardiff, in order to make it clear to the four nations that we needed men, more men, and then more men. We are fighting an Empire with fifteen million trained soldiers. I BUggest that Mr. Massev and Sir Joseph Wardehould make a patriotic tour of New Zealand in company, jointly addressing meetings in every centre, and thereby proving their faith that the occasion is urgent, and one— When none is for a party, Bat all are for the State. It is impossible that our young man have realised that New Zealand is at many of their seniors can't have realised it either, or--they would have brought their influence to bear upon the laggards. The women and girls do, I believe, grasp the idea that, if Germany wins, New Zealand may expect the fate of Belgium, and, though they may be too polite to express their con- • tempt for the stay-at-homes, these may be sure it is there all the same. But an authoritative call is what is wanted, and that is what the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition ought to give the country at this moment. The election is over, the holidays are over. Now is the time. Let our leaders give us a demonstration of their own patriotism and an evocation of ours. Their joint appearance on the platform would strike the imagination of the country as nothing- else could.— I am, eto..