The Dominion. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1915. THE GREAT ALTERNATIVE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2481, 7 June 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1915. THE GREAT ALTERNATIVE

_ Since his appointment to tho very important office of Minister oi Munitions, Mr. Lloyd Georoe has set to work with characteristic energy to dispel the enervating illusion that Britain's ultimate victory _ over her enemies is assured by some mysterious invincible power which operates with the certainty of a law i, of Nature. In his latest speeches to those engaged in the manufacture munitions of wai-j the Minister did not hesitate to contemplate the possibility of the British Empire being defeated, but he made it as clea-r as noonday that if we do not emerge triumphant from this terrible conflict we shall have no one to blame but ourselves. Britain must win if she is resolved to win, and puts her whole strength into the - fight. We are engaged in a war in B which victory cannot be achieved by half measures. With that striking n gift of i vivid and impressive speech for whioh he is famous, Mr, Lloyd George placed the position before his audiences in a manner which ought to beget in the mind of every man and woman in the Empire a . keener realisation of the tremendous issues at stake. Though the immediate object of his addresses at Manchester and Liverpool was to bring home to his hearers the urgent need ; increasing the output of muni- ' tions, his words should be regarded as an appeal to British citizens throughout the world to brace them- • selves up for tho greatest task' that the nation has ever been called upon to perform. The fate of the Empire no doubt depends, in the first instance, upon the men who are risking their lives at the front, and then upon those responsible for the munitionsj but the responsibility for supcess or failure must ultimately rest upon the people as a whole. Yet recent visitors to Britain tell us that a large section of the community is still apathetic, and it is impossible to deny the fact . that many people in New Zealand do not fully realise all that tho war means. Mr. Lloyd George puts the alternative whioh now faces the Empire in words that can hardly fail to strike the dullest imagination. It depends not only on our soldiers and munition workers, but also on each one of us in greater or less degree whether the Empire shall emerge from the present colossal struggle beaten, humiliated, stripped of power, honour, and influence, and a mere bond-slave to a cruel military tyranny, or whether she shall emerge triumphant, freer, and more powerful than ever for good in the affaij-s of men." The Minister was stating an obvious fact .when he remarked : "Should Germany win well, God help Labour. It will come out worst of all." But it is hardly worth while to dwell on distinctions of this sort when tho consequence? of Germany's triumph would be so overwhelmingly disastrous to all classes.