The Dominion MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1918. THE MORAL OF THE PEOPLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 135, 25 February 1918, Page 4

The Dominion MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1918. THE MORAL OF THE PEOPLE

Military writers, publicists, and statesmen the world over for' some time past have been at special pains to stress the fact that the outcome of the war has now become a question of staying power—that tho final issue now rests on the strength of will, the fortitude, the powers of endurance, and unity of the people. A writer in the current issue of the Round Table, in an intensely interesting review of the situation, arrives at the conclusion that the issue before us is essentially a moral issue. "Have we," he asks, "th© clearsightedness to see how immensely preponderant are the forces on the Allied side, the understanding that to compromise with iniquity is death; the unfaltering faith that right must if we endure to the end, which will give us certain and complete victory V' The questions here raised concern us deeply in New Zealand, and never more so than at the present juncture. In all the countries which have suffered under the _ terrible ordeal of this war there is a spirit of warweariness, an increasing load of sorrow and anxiety, which at times obscures clarity of vision as to tho issues at stake and stimulates the craving for peace. It is natural and inevitable that such should be tho case. No nation can hope to wholly escape tho effect of such influences, and it is only the people who are stoutest of heart, who clearly realise tho greatness of the cause for' which they are struggling, who are uplifted by the spirit of sacrifice and who stand unitedly together who can expect to throw off the paralysing effect inseparable from a weakening of the will to win. In New Zealand influences have been at work for tho past three years to undermine the spirit of the nation. A persistent endeavour has been made to. poison tho public mind as to the causes wbich led to the war and the purpose with which Britain entered into the war. Facts have been distorted, half-truths circulated, aud by innuendo and suggestion the patriotic spirit of our soldiers has been turned into ridicule, and tho country's war efforts denounced. It says much for the loyalty and patriotism of the people of the Dominion that in spite of the insidious propaganda that has been carried on it has bad so little effect in influencing public opinion.

At tho same time tho fact cannot be ignored that there is a section in this country, as in every other belligerent country,, which is a menace to the strength and unity of the nation. It is composed mainly of those with grievances against the National Government,, men who pride themselves on their "internationalism," and who neither love

their own country nor any other; shirkers of their national obligations, pi'cachers of the class war and their dupes, and sowers of dissension, concerned only to gain their personal or party ends by dividing the people and promoting internal strife. It is a dangerous element in the community, not because' of its numerical strength, but because of its evil influence on the moral of the nation, and because it is always there ready to seize any opening which may occur to rend and divide the people. It constitutes the nucleus of a movement which may bring great trouble to the Dominion if it should at any time,receive sufficient encouragement. All over New Zealand to-day are. scattered men and women in sympathy with the aims of these malcontents, and they are all watching the Wellington North election with the closest interest. They are hoping for the success of Mr. Holland, and the reason they are hoping for his success is that it will be a triumph for their cause. They know well enough that even if 1m is elected to Parliament he can do little in a House of eighty members to give practical effcct to bis teachings, hut tfiey realise that his success would mean that in the capital city of the Dominion, in one of the greatest strongholds of the National Government, the advocates of the win-the-war policy had been beaten. That this would have a far-reaching effcct in encouraging and welding together all tho forces underground and 'pn tho surface which are now actively or passively working against the national cause in this war is certain. Mr. Holland personally is merely an insignificant detail: it is what would be read into his success and the uses it would be put to that the electors of Wellington North have to consider. The astonishing thing is that there should be amongst the professed supporters of the National Government, amon.gst those whose loyalty and patriotism cannot be questioned, men of standing and of sound judgment who apparently cannot see _ the. danger they aro threatening their country with by dividing their forces. It is we now know useless to appeal to Mil. Brandon and his immediate followers—they seem to have lost their sense of proportion—but the electors generally should perceive the danger clearly enough, and the remedy is in their hands. It is not the fcturn to Parliament of Mr. Holland that is most to be feared, though that would be bad enough, but the effect of his return in stimulating and rousing into activity forces which may not only imperil tho unity of the nation but which may bring mom direct trouble in their train. And amongst those who will suffer most in that event arc many of the men who are increasing Mr. Holland's chances of success by supporting Mr. Brandon's candidature.