The Dominion SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1915. A NATIONAL WAR MOVEMENT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2522, 24 July 1915, Page 4

The Dominion SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1915. A NATIONAL WAR MOVEMENT

The proposal for starting a great war movement throughout New Zealand, which.is to bo placed heforo the Minister por Defence on Monday afternoon by a number of representative citizens of Wellington, should serve a useful purpose. No intelligent, mail who goes about with his eyes open can believe that we arc facing the war problem as seriously or as comprehensively as its gravity requires. Such remarks as "Britain is fighting for her very life,"/' This is the greatest and gravest crisis in our history, "The fate of tho Empire is at stake," have bccomo the commonplaccs of ordinary conversation. But how do these tremendous facts affect our ordinary lives? The majority of us go through the usual daily routine as if nothing _ extraordinary was happening. It is time that tho community was shaken out of this irresponsible frame of mind. Ooulcl anything be more pathetically ■inane at such a- time, than tho spectacle of the House.of Representatives devoting an all-night sitting to frivolous trifling with the Daylight Saying Bill 1 What sort of example is this for the' Legislature of the country to set the people in these days of heavy responsibility? In addressing a great patriotic meeting in Moibourne recently, Dr. Rentoul compared political trivialities at such a: time as the present to tho action "of a man fiddling and dancing by his brother's corpse." This comparison might well 6e applied to the proceedings 'which took place in the House of Representatives on Thursday night...The country has a right to expect a better lead froth Parliament than' this: _o'ne of tho matters requiring attention is the urgent need for public and private economy in order to husband the nation's resources. At tho conference (referred to in our cable columns) between Mr. Asquith and London bankers and merchants this need was most strongly insisted on. In Britain the public mind seems at _ last to be awakening to the realities of tho situation.

Me. Churchill, in his recent Speech at Dundee; declared that action is the new watchword; "Business as usual" was a good motto at the beginning c»f the war. It had a steadying effect at a moment of great unsettlement, and it is of course most desirable that trade and industry should go on as nearly as possible as in normal times. But the motto was too often used in such a way as to encourage an easy-going optimism which took it for, granted that victory was assured. The people were lulled, into a false sense of security; arid, did not feci the need of bracing themselves lip' for tho tremendous task ahead. . The result was that the nation was not fighting with. anything like its full power. It became necessary to shake things up by stating the real facts in the plainest words, and letting the people know that unless more strength and thought were put into the fight expectations of _ victory would be doomed to disappointment.

The formation of the National Government and the plain speaking of public men in Britain has certainly had a stimulating effect on the fighting spirit of the nation. Pleasant illusions are being dissipated, and the public aro being fcompellcd to faee tho grim realities of tho position. The recent miners' strike was a bitter experience, but the fierce resentment it provoked among all sections of tlie community was an indication of the increasing earnestness of tho nation. The new Government is receiving assurances of support from all quad'ters—from the women, tho labour unions, the universities, the churches, and tho business people. The Senatus of the University of Edinburgh has forwarded a memorial to tho Pjuile Minister urging the Government to organise tho available men and resources of tho country, and pointing out that this mobilisation should not bo limited to the supply of munitions, but should bo extended to the whole productive .powers of the community. "The sum total of tho national resources and of national energy must' be brought to bear if tho desired success in the present struggle—a struggle involving the issues of life and death to the country aiid the Empire—is to be obtainled." The memorial concludes with these solemn words:

It is obvious, ami it is admitted, that tho duty and the responsibility of guidiug tho country rest with the Govonimcjiti ITer t!t? ttvjHtms in the tou-KH-y's fclstory a National Uflvot'mn?nt has been frm ti>D WWBU.w*

?, IJiJt'cy division ha 3 been expelled. If the. oovcrnmeut should fail to provido the itteded guidance, or if Uic nation should ' fail to respond to its guidance, tho Senatus desire to put upon record their conviction that the inevitable defeat, or that indecisive result of the war which would be equivalent to defeat, will, by the verdict of fuituro history, be attributed, not to tho inability of tho nation to achieve victory, but to the unwillingness of the Govern incut and tho people to take the measures imperatively required to attain this end.

In a pastoral letter tho Archbishop of Canterbury declares that the nation looks with confidence to tho Government, deliberately chosen to represent them all, and expects it to take, and take with courage, whatever steps it may consiclor necessary to summon and control every possible resource which the country possesses of body, of brain, of wealth and industry. Members of the Church arc called upon to meet with glacl and unstinteel response whatever demands of service or of sacrifice the Government may decide to make. The leaders of the Free Churches have issued a stirring letter pointing out that "we , have l'cachcd a supreme hour in history," and urging the people willingly to render to tho State all the services tho exceptional circumstances demand. Cardinal Bourne utters the same urgent note. Ho says the fight will bo a long and resolute one, and the Empire will have to make use of every resource it possesses in men, money, and munitions. What are wo doing in New Zealand i We certainly have done something. But wo might do a great deal more—there is no doubt about that; and wo have no right to be satisfied until wc have done all we can do. The organisers of the proposed national war movement have como forward at an opportune time. The people are are anxious to do all that lies within their power—what is needed is to impress them with the necessity for a- sterner view of the situation and to indicate the best means by which they can assist in the struggle, ihc first step is to make clear the responsibility of the individual; the next is to organise to ensure the best results.