The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1917. A BRACING SPEECH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 71, 17 December 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1917. A BRACING SPEECH

A note worthy of tho emergency by which Britain and her Allies arc faced in the war is struck by Mn. Lloyd George in the speech reported to-day. It contains no suggestion that tho Allies are travelling along an easy road to victory; on the contrary it is first and foremost a call for augmented effort and un J sparing sacrifice to counterbalance whatever is unfavourable in the present aspect of the war. At the same time the British Primo Minister's survey of the situation and the conclusions he draws are well calculated to correct any depression induced by late events, and still more by a considerable amount of pessimistic talk and speculation to which these events have given rise. The speech sums up as an authoritative assurance that in spite of some untoward events and discouraging appearances tho Allies are making steady progress towards their goal, but it is nowhere more to the point than ■ in emphasising that something more is demanded of a great nation fighting a war of liberation than that its spirit should bo exalted or depressed by every partial success or temporary rovorse. Such a reminder is timely in view of tho extent to which some public men and commentators have during tho last few weeks given way to a tendency to exaggerate what is unfavourable in the existing situation and to find portents of disaster in the advantages the enemy has gained in Russia and by his invasion of Italy. An extreme example of this kind of thing was the statement made a few daysago by an Australian Federal Minister that the military situation is pregnant with disaster—even early disaster. Making all possible allowance for tho local circumstances which provoked this outburst, it is open to condemnation not only because it has no reference to the facts .of the war, but because it is cal-

culatcd to confuse the- public mind and even to create such a state ol opinion as the enemy is supreme]} anxious to produce. The same strictures apply in varying degree to many commentators who have been less extravagantly indiscreet, and havo not gone to the same reckless lengths in disregarding facts us the Federal Minister in question, "Grousing," as Mk. Lloyd Geohgh pithily observes, undermines morale, and national morale is vital in the question of holding out. Unreasoning optimism, of course, is foolish, and intensifies the perils it ignores. But there is an opposite folly, somewhat too prevalent in British countries, which takes the form oi blackening our own prospects and belittling- our efforts, and at the same time doing much moro than justice to the enemy. _ Many of the public men'and publicists who take this line aro thoroughly _ wellmeaning, and aim at awakening the nation to a maximum effort, but such tactics as they adopt arc on ill grounds indefensible, and their adoption overlooks the vital fact that sane confidence, based upon a just appreciation of its own powers xnd achievements, is a priceless asset to a democracy in such a test is this war has imposed. Mb. Lloyd George is aH the better placed to drive homo his attack on the "grousers," since he is able to show convincingly that tho facts jf the war afford no ground for the distempered apprehensions and gloomy forebodings which have Found expression in some quarters ■ji late. One of the most important points he makes is that the problem 3f tho immediate future for the Allies is not ono of man-power, but mo of shipping. Tho enemy has been enabled to move many troops westward, but the Allies, even aftei sending forces to Italy, retain t marked numerical superiority in France and Flanders, and Britain aas considerable reserves at homo. Sho is taking measures to increase theso reserves, but it seems to be ]uite clear from what Mil. Liorr. George has to say on 'tho subject ihafc her preparations in this category are well ahead of demands, The outcome of the critical struggle still under way in Italy must appreciably affect tho balance- oi strength in the Western theatre one way or tho other, but the state ol iffairs disclosed is ill calculated tc iny case to encourage the enemy tc iry conclusions • with tho armies which defeated him in their days oi weakness, three years ago, when, he ittacked with the enormous advan : Sages of deliberate and completed preparation. Emphasising the supremo importance of tho tonnage problem, Mr. Lloyd George bring; rat the essential fact that Tho grand problem facing the Allies is not thai jf repelling the enemy's attacks out of assembling such a force ir ittack as will make it possible tc subject him to overwhelming defeat, Gtermany cannot force a decision. The Allies could only be defeated iJ for some reason they failed to make good use of their immensely superior resources. But to bring the enemy to terms demands an in finitely greater effort than is needed to repel whatever attacks ho raaj ittempt. That effort will become possible when enough ships are pro vided to transport an adequate A.morican army to France and keej it supplied, and unless tho enemy is iblo to reverse the present trend oi ihe submarino campaign the Allie; will solve this problem as they hare solved so many others in their slow jut on the wholo steady, progress to vards victory. Britain, as her Prime Minister points out, is contributing ;o the solution of the tonnago problem, not only in the work of the Navy and in the construction ol ships, but in a development of hei igriculturo truly wonderful in vie-« if tho unprecedented military anc ndustrial efforts which have taker shape simultaneously in measures ol iconomy and in other ways. Eurthci efforts are demanded under al; ihese heads, and they arc to the fill is important meantime as the ex lansion of the British armies in the ield, for they aro leading up to the concentration of such a forco a: will leave Germany no other pro spect than that of utter defeat.