The Dominion. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1915. NO MISGIVINGS-IP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2593, 15 October 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1915. NO MISGIVINGS-IP

' The optimistic note which rang through the speech made by tho Minister of Munitions (the Hon. A. M. Myers), a't tho reunion of tho Wellington sub-section of the Auckland Grammar Sohool Old Boys' Association should have a bracing influence. on people who arc now inclined to be rather pessimistic in their views regarding the war. _ It is quite clear that a very critical stage in the struggle has been reached. Another nation has been added to the list of our enemies, and further developments arc being anxiously awaited. Mr. Myers was, of course, aware of all this; and yet ho felt justified in telling his hearers that they need not have any misgivings as to the result of tho war, because they were prepared to fight to their last man and their last shilling. And Mr. Myers is quite right. The limpire need have no misgivings if it is unshakably determined to do and to. endure all that is necessary to achieve victoiy. This conviction should spur us on to greater efforts. as the greatness of our task increases; but there are in every oommunity a number . of people who endeavour to shirk tho moral discipline of looking unpleasant facts squarely in the face. Men and women of Inis typo arc apt to scire cHgfli'lv ou such wovcla aa m jQijKetUtm all

about the all-important conditional "if," find in them an cxcuse for the comforting 'Belief that all will end well without any special exertion on their part. That way disaster lies, and recent developments should have made it impossible for any rational person to persuade himself that the call of Empire is not really urgent, or that it is not intended for him. We can win this war, if—and success or failure hangs on the "if." We need have no misgivings as regards the final result—

If we make the achievement of victory our one supreme and all-ab-sorbing task. If every man of military ago who is physically fit is ready to say "Yes" to tie. country's call for fighting men. If the rest of the community is prepared-to serve in whatever way tho constituted authorities may think best.

If the Empire as a whole, and every part of it, is prepared to be organised for war as thoroughly as Germany is organised.

If we are at unity among ourselves.

If we are prepared to subordinate personal and party interests to the interests of the Empire; to surrender any conccption of liberty that may clash with the paramount duty to serve.

If our weapons of war are _at least equal, in quantity and quality, to those of the enemy.

If we mobilise all our resourcesspiritual and material—and are prepared to pay the price of victory to the last farthing.

Lord Kitchener is reported to have recently declared that if all the men and munitions he asked for were placed at his disposal he could guarantee victory as an absolute oertainty. It.all comes to this: that wo can overthrow our enemies if we are willing to comply with the essential conditions, and those conditionsare not impossible. But they are certainly not easy. Wc have now got tho full measure of the enemy, and we know that nothing less than our utmost can ensure his defeat; but we also, know'that our utmost is sufficient for the task wehave in liand. This knowledge supplies a sure foundation for rational optimism in these perilous days. It is vain to hope that our cause will triumph simply because it is a just one. Its j'dstness' should inspire us to fight the harder for,it; but it is useless to expect Providence to work miracles on behalf of a nation that is too lazy or too effete to oxert itself sufficiently to maintain its place in the world. The British Empire has already done enough since the war began to convince the world that the fighting spirit of - our race is as strong as ever it was; but owing to laxity in -the matter of organisation it h'as been slow to get its fighting powers into thorough working order. The latest turns of events should impress upon'the Government'and people of- New Zealand the urgent need -for sgeeding up. Me. Myers evidently Thinks that no preconceived ideas or surmountable obstacles should be allowed to prevent this Dominion from throwing the'biggest possible body of men into the fighting line. That is the only policy this country can'follow and observe, its obligations to our men already in the fighting line and to the Empire.