DESTINY OF THE WORLD TREMBLING IN THE BALANCE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2724, 20 March 1916, Page 5

DESTINY OF THE WORLD TREMBLING IN THE BALANCE

FINE SPEECH BY MR. HUGHES

THE WAR HAS WELDED THE EMPIRE INTO A

UNITED PEOPLE

By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright London, March 17. ' Viscount Bryce, formerly British Ambassador at Washington, presided at a gathering of the. Pilgrims' Club, at which the Australian Prime Minister (Mr. W. M. Hughes)' was the guest of honour. In the course of his speech, Mr. Hughes said: "The very inspiration of Oiir life, the bourne of all our immediate hopes, desires, and activities, was bound up in the determination to save our civilisation and liberties from the onslaught of barbarous Prussia. Many members of the Pilgrims' Club are Americans. We aro grateful to the Americans for their help. Ido not think the present an opportune time to judge America's attitude in the war. 'Wo Australians have liked the United .States well in the past, and have longed for a closer friendship. My message to America is, 'We are winning; we shall win without a shadow of doubt. The vast might of the Empire as it will be organised will be completely victorious.' "The British are a poaceful, civilised people," continued thfe speaker. "That was the clearest distinction fiom Germany, whose vile'doctrines and dreadful deeds had shown a gulf as wide as that dividing Heaven and Hell between British and German ideals. The destiny of the world was trembling in the balance. Every man must mako up his mind upon which side he was taking his stand. The war found us drifting in pleasant, profitable channels. _ Tho call of duty fell dully upon our ears; we turned our_ hacks upon the purifying waters of self-sacrifice. The war has come as a mighy spur, and has acted as a corrective, which was perhaps needed for the salvation of our race. If a malign stroko of fate turned the issue against us, the clock.of civilisation would he set hack a hundred years." Mr. Hughes proceeded: "The war has welded an Empire menaced by turmoil and dissension into a united people. Onlv our own incredible folly can break asunder a homogeneous nation magically formed from a former loose federation. I am here as representative of a Dominion whose- soldiers have shown that the ancient valour of their sires still burns in their veins. The war not only concerns Britain, it affects our existence,as free men. lam _ a representative of Labour and all its ideals. We jointly cherish all on which rests the foundations of liberty, and must fall if we lose the battle. "We will fight for those free institutions upon which" our democratio government rests. ■ What tho people say goes in Australia, but_ the' will _of the German proletariat, whose numbers amount to fifty millions, is as nothing beside the Kaiser's ukase. The Germans wore prepared to treat Canada and South Africa as separate nations. Tliey were prepared to hold out the hand of friendship to Australia, hut Germany now knows that she fight's not only England, but the millions of men scattered throughout the world who look to Great Britain as the oradle of their race. "Wo have heard of Balaclava, but the story of the Bth Light Horse of Australia is one alongside which the charge of the Light Brigade must pale. These men attacked, knowing that they were going to certain death. Most of them fell hack dead; only the merest handful survived. "We will either emerge triumphant from this battle or go down with all the prospects of achieving our destiny for ever damned." After explaining compulsory service m Australia, Mr. Hughes v concluded: "Our tremendous, ferocious foe-is in a wall of steel which he'cannot break. We must win."

CONSTITUTION OF THE EMPIRE OUGHT NOT TO REMAIN AS AT PRESENT. (Roc. March 19, G. 6 p.m.) , London, Maich IS. Viscount Bryce, in introducing Mr. Hushes at the Pilgrims' CIuB, said; "The constitution of the Empire oui»ht not to remain as at present. Much has been done in the past twenty months to bring the Dominions and the Mother Country 'closer together. We only require to know each other better. The war has clone much in this direction, and wo shall address ourselves to the task which is not beyond the resources of those_ concerned, with a view of framing a constitution which would hold' the Emm-re perfectly together, giving tho Dominions a definite voice in its affaiis." „ ~ t FREEDOM OP THE CITY OP LONDON FOR MR. HUGHES. (Roc. March 19, 5.5 p.m.) London, March IS. The City of London proposes to confer the Freedom of the City on Mr. W. M. Hughes.'

MR. HUGHES URGED TO PERSEVERE.

(Rcc. .March 20, 0.55 a.m.)

London, March 19, The "Observer" says Mr. Hughes should persevere. Britain is far ahead of the Government and Parliament., There is an overwhelming majority in tho country with him. Neither Britain nor her Dominions want a centralised or rigi'd system, but both demand a co-ordinated policy, mnking the Empiro a vital organism. Even the slow minority in Britain is dou'itless in a mood to recognise that soma form of federation ie desirable. ,