THE NEW FIRST LORD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 17, 15 October 1917, Page 6

THE NEW FIRST LORD

SIR ERIC GEDDES ON THE STUMP

A PERSONAL GLIMPSE

Sir Eric Geildes, the First Lord of tho Admiralty, was once a railway porter. The following is from a speech to his new constituents at Cambridge, which, contained somo interesting personal details, and also somo interesting matter about tho war. It was his maiden. I speech as M.P., and also his first platform utterance. "I had not the slightest idea, fourteen days ago, either that I was to Ik tlia First Lord of tho Admiralty, or that I should have the honour of being the member of Parliament for the ancient and historic borough of Cambridge. However, tho unexpected happens, and I am here this evening, although it will mean an extra half-day's work to-morrow, I fear. You liavo been told I have been a railwayman, that I was once a porter. That is true, and I am very proud of it. 1 The raihvaymen of England I hold in the highest regard, and that regard has been intensified by what I have eeen of their work in France. The railwaynien out thero liavo given movement 'o the Army. "Railways are now ahead of tne guns everywhere anil the work of the railwaymen has saved thousands and thousands of lives at the sacrifice of many of their own. I have been asked to tell you about myself. I have read in a'local paper that I "am a young man about whom you know very little. I nevor, I hope, was unduly proud, but if I was that took it all out of me. There is not much to tell. I have worked since I was 17. I have never played much or long, and none at all in the last three years, during which I havo worked hardw than aver before. What little politics I had I have forgotten in the munition factories in France, in tho dockyards, and with the Fleets." Before the war I had done soldiering in India. At the beginning of the war, ab Lord Kitchener's request, I raised and commanded one of the first pioneer battalions that ever went over to Francs. I went to the War Office and had a liana at most things there, except ah«U production. Then I went' to France, first to report and later to jofn Sir Douglas Haig's staff.

Most Malicious Retreat in History. "It was what I saw in France that gave me my determination-that nothing mattered but to go. on with the war U the end. To one who has spent months in France, who has witnessed the (truckage of the most malicious rejreat in tho history of the world, with its wanton rsVTsTiing of the country and villages, one feels that the sole thing that matters is to go on with the war,. I don't think that 1 have any hate in my composition, but J am convinced that we havo got to destroj tuu German military power, and I am convinced that we and our Allies are doing more now to destooy that power by advancing as fast as we can lay railways and roads to carry the traffic. Sir Douglas Haig has oitcn raid to me, 7f the people at Home would onlv understand that an ndvance oi! 1000 yards may mean moro .than a fifteenmile advance' —as it did at \ ltny ludgo, for example. / "The destruction of the German Army is what matters, and it is going on daily. Their moral is going very fast. I <to not think we are within sight of tiic end of the war, bntyrou have got to go on. You can't stop now. Any peace wo could get to-day is no good at all. i e German military power has got to he broken before we can get a peace worth having. When I went to the Admiralty 1 thought I knew all about the deeds oi the Navy, but I didn't. I have now soon the records and rcports-flomething that you can't put into the papers. The offi'cers of the Navy are the bravest of men, hut thev say, 'Please don.t tell all our exploits' at ses.' and the reason you have not far to seek. Remember Captain "Frvatt Tf we revealed deeds mQny "would send a thrill down your httcfa.anclsive tv whereabouts of the exploits. These officers and shins would be ™ r ked. *> don't ask for information that mignt injure the men. It's not fair to the men.

About the Navy. "The Army is completely confident, and the confidence Of the Army is ody.matched.by the confidence of the Grand liset. Rut the difference between the Army and the Navy is that while there is someone to fight on land, (here is only someone, under the sea .to .the Navy Y°«± n< £ how difficult it' 30 to catch a mole in your garden. That is similar to what we have to deal with. The German Fleet has not tho least intention h of out: go don't bo impatient with tho Amy. Its enterprise and courage pass all words. When its story is told some, day it will Ruroass in heroism and daring a™, 1 ? genuity and wonder the tries of Ckptun Slarryat. The Army and the *..ivy A 'Will the general public let lis aownr If I may judge by Cambridge I } la7 ® innd answer' The general public will not let them : down. Of course there are neoDle who Sw we should W guns mm- all round the coast and aeroplanes waitine for the enemy. Where are they to £me tom? From France where, the aeroplanes are the eyes of the Army, aud where they can save moio W, iu a I day than they can "ro in months? Don't ask th«n from France. Then they can Build more Well, if you build more you get fewer tanks Ay both nal combustion engines. Everytt in„ Ins not to be balanced, and although some of us may make mistakes, l,et tSe public realise that all the time we are trying to work out the best balance of our limited resources. Current criticism is a sign of what is becoming apparent in 'all belligerent countries; it w war weariness and war nerves, and it is tie country which holds i s nerves longest that is going to win the war. To „et fractious, to blame so,mebody .else-: is to leave it to your partner, Ihat IS war weariness and nerves. Let us rise above it, and we are bonnd to win. and cannot help winning. But we shall not do it by fault-finding with each other.

The Submarine Problem. "Perhaps you expected me to make a statement on the submarine position. In the first plare, I do .not think I have been long enough First Lord to be able to make a statement with the consideration that I feel should be given to it. The Prime Minister, _ with his greater knowledge and authority, has recently made a statement, and I will leave it at this: the submarine danger or menace or campaign- is, of course, serious, but it can be overcome, and-1 honestly believo it will bo overcome, if we face the difficulty as we have faced the other devilish inventions of the Germans. But it may be, as the Prime Minister said, we may not find an exact and complete antidote before the country is asked to make sacrifices. We have not yet made sacrifices comparable with the sacrifices being made by other countries, and when tho time comes I know the people of : tho United Kingdom will t accept these sacrifices in the proper You may ask, How do I view the duties of First Lord of the Admiralty? The lasUhing I shall do i 3 to interfere in/ naval strategy. My time in France has taught me that it is better to leave the tactics and strategy to the professional soldier and sailor and I intend to do so. But it is my duty to know wliat the fcca Lords are proposing to do to get through the material and resources at their disposal to form an independent opinion as to whether, they have enough or should have more and in every possible wsy, as for as a civilian can, help them in their work. I understand that it is niado up of men. munitions, and ment iind they all mean money. >\o have got to conserve our money not only in the Government Departments but .in our homes and private affairs.