"SPEECHES ARE LIKE SHELLS"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2781, 27 May 1916, Page 7

"SPEECHES ARE LIKE SHELLS"

COMPLIMENT TO MR. HUGHES By Teleeraph-Preas Association-Copyright London, May 25. Mr. Lloyd George has written an introduction to a small volume containing the speeches of Mr. W. M. Hughes, delijorecl- in England. Mr. Lloyd George says: "No public speeches in modern times hato made such, an impression on' the. British public as the series in this book. No. one challenges the power of popular appeal-, exhibited in these-virile utterances, in speech that is tho rarest gift of all. Hut huiv many are there amongst men who can'interest, persuade, and move multitudes?

"Speeches aro like shells: You may have ft shell perfect in form and polish, but through an inadequate or detective propollent failing to reach tile object at which it is aimed; or, owing to some imperfection in the detonating arrangements, failing to explode if it gots there. Rjad these speeches. Xou will tinjl every sentence "get ■ home,- :nnd that", their detonating quality is. of the highest'order, and the percentage of prematures and blinds is imperceptibly low. "Mr. Hughes has one special qualification for his task of stirring. tho Empire to piit forth aIL its strength. Ho was born in Britain/ his manhood in Australia. He is not lecturing the people whom he. only knows by . hearsay," he is one of them, and .has tho additional advantage of knowiug the infinite possibilities of the British Empire-through lons years of living and leading in one of our imuienso Dominions. Ho understands British democracy here and. beyond tho seas." ,

"No man living had' shown himself 'to possess so many arms that make a successful,leader tor that democracy, namely, courage, pertinacity, foresight,' idealism, common sense, the gift of direct,forcible, and eloquent speech, and a great capacity for work.' All these gifts he has .placed at Britain's disposal in - her day of peril! He realises the impending danger to Britain and British ideals, and is endeavouring to rouse his fellow-citi-zens'to' the.same understanding of the lurking disaster, and to resolve to take all the'necessary action to avert it. That is the insistent message and cry.of these remarkable speeches."