The Dominion FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1915. DECLARATION DAY IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2581, 1 October 1915, Page 6

The Dominion FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1915. DECLARATION DAY IN BRITAIN

» ' The London newspapers which arrived by the last English mail contain full accounts of the manner in which August 4, the first anniversary of Britain's declaration of war against Germany, was observed in the United Kingdom, and enable us to understand in some measure the spirit in which the people at Home faced the opening of the second year of the great struggle. The nation has learnt many lessons during that memorable twelve months. It has experienced a good deal of .disillusionment and disappointment; but it has come to see things as they arc. The remorseless logic of facts has shattered Gomfortiug dreams of a. quick and easy triumph, and tho British public now realise that this war cannot be won unless the Em,pire> is prepared to fight with all the might it possesses. The impressive meetings and demonstrations which were held in all parts of the United Kingdom on Declaration Day show that the spirit of the people remains unshaken. The nation is just as determined as it was when the'conflict began to continue with ever-increasing vigour "the struggle in the maintenance of those ideals of liberty and justice which arc the common and sacred cause 'of the Allies."- There was nothing'hysterical or bombastic about the anniversary gatherings. • The prevailing idea seemed to be the solemn rededi-. cation of' tho nation to the great task it has undertaken. The motto for the day might well have been: "Watch ye; stand fast in the faith. Quit you like men; he strong." This was the text, of, the sermon delivered by tho'Arclibishop of Canterbury in the historical service in St. Paul's Cathedral, which was attended by the King and Queen. Deferring to this service, bo impressive in its simplicity, a correspondent of a London paper states that the war is leading men back to'the use of good, strong, stirring English. "The National Anthem was sung in full for once. No omission of 'Confound their politics, frustrate their knavish tricks.' The Archbishop did not hesitate over the /Keys, of Hell— tho gates of Hell,' as so many do. It was a comfort not to hear Hades for once."

Vast crowds attended the services and demonstrations throughout the Kingdom. Nearly 80,000 people took part in tho patriotic demonstration hold in front of the 1 Portsmouth Town' Hall. Mr. Balfour was the principal speaker at the great-meet-ing in. tho London Opera House, which was. permeated by a spirit of rational confidence, combined with a full realisation of the magnitude'of tho conflict and of the strength, determination, and resourcefulness ,of the enemy. ■ Mr. Balfouk referred in striking words to Britain's part in the struggle.

What wo jiave don© (he said) does not fall short—it far exceeds—what was originally expected from us, and what we have clone is only a part of what we are going to do. (Cheers.) We have not yet shot our bolt—("Hear, hear")—we have not yet been able -to put forth our full strength on land; we have had to create a new army. We hare created a new army—(cheers';—we are etill creating a new army, and let those who—putting what We'have done, what our Navy has done,' altogether on ono side—consider only the. military aspect of the question wait till the end. ("Hear, hear.") Let them weigh what we have done with what we promised, and they will perhaps be in a position to judge of what we shall do •when'wo promise yet more.

The same' spirit of confidence in the ultimate result was Expressed by Mr. Bonar Law in an address to over a thousand Canadian officers and men. at Folkestone. He expressed the convictioji that the end will be victory, though the road to it may be steep and long. He stated that.evon as regards munitions, the United Kingdom has resources as great as the whojo German Empire and every week, every month,' these resources will be more and more utilised until the superiority of Germany ceases—until the ,balance goes the other way, And then the. superiority, not only in men, but material, will tell. Mn. Bonar Law made a statement regarding the probable effect of the war on the movement in favour of Imperial unification. He said that the fact that the ovorseas Dominions arc to have a voic-s in the peace negotiations marks a great step onwards.. He believes that as a result of the war the time will come when the whole of the self-governing Dominions, in proportion to their population and resources, will share with the Mother Country the duty and honour of governing the British Empire. There 7 can be no doubt that the present crisis in our history will lead to the more efficient organisation of tho Empirofor peace and 'war, The fiery ordpa! through which we are now passing has revealed some of theweak spots in our Imperial system, but it has also proved the strength of the ties which unite the various States of which the Empire is composed. After peace-has been restored several vitally important Empire problems will have to be solved.