THE WAR LOAN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 160, 26 March 1918, Page 7

THE WAR LOAN

AND THE WAR

(SIR JOSEPH WARD'S APPEAL

ADDRESS TO COMMERCIAL MEN

' Tho Minister of Finance (Sir Jpseph /Ward) addressed inombers of the Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association mt their clubrooms in tho lunch hour yesterday on tho isubjcct of the War Loan. He invited ;tho commercial travellers to assist' him in raisiug tho sum of £9,500,000 required for war expenditure. The president of tho association. (Mr. W. ¥. Cuthbertson) was in tho chair, and Mr. Harold Beauchamp, chairman of tho ißank of New Zealand, was also present.

Sir Joseph Ward, who was recoived ftvith applause, said that the war had leached what probably was its most critical stage. The enemy had launch«d a tremendous attack on tho '.West front in tho 'hope of breaking the Al3ied armies. Tho latest news showed 4hat tho British, after retiring before tho first onslaught, were standing solidly against the enormous pressure that was being brought to bear upon them.. It was quite apparent to thoso who know what was taking place that the enemy was making a last desperate attempt to achieve victory. This was the opinion thai; had boon held before the attack by w ell-informed people in England. The nation had to.be prepared for fluctuations in. this gigantic struggle. Tho engagement was of stupendous importance, and the Germans, strong and well armed, would throw thoir whole weight forward with the intention of securing, if possible, a decision in their favour during the present year. But he believed that tho Valour of the British and Allied troops •would-provaiL Tho soldiers at the front were fighting.with,a courage that .was beyond all .praise, and he had no doubt at all about their success. They would retire only, to advance again. New Zealand pcoplo ought, to realise, however, that the occasion called for unstinted effort and sacrifice. If there were people in this country who believed that tho Dominion was sending more men than.was necessary, they ought to understand the . lesson of what ivas happening on the West front. .The Enipire needed vast \ numbers of troops; m fact, it could not have too many troops, and : it - needed . war effort..of every other kind. If the. 'Allied forces could not hold their..own at the present time on the West front, theii in all probability the Empire must face cither German domination, which .was unthinkable, or a. prolonged war. Tho .Germans were, using 75 divisions in. their great'attack: 50 divisions in the front line and between 25 and 30 divisions in reserve. .The Allies were resisting with comparatively few men, while they maintained big reserves for use in an emergency, and the'result was that in some' cases our men were 'outnumbered twelvo to one.. But they fought on undismayed.

The men and women of New Zealand .who were not called upon to take places in the firing line, added Sir. Joseph iWard, could not make any sacrifice to equal the'loss of-an individual, life of a man who had gone to help to preserve British freedom, and for that reason it ,was the bounden duty of every man who was able to obtain the necessary, money or security to provide the Government with the money necessary to enable New Zealand to •' do its part. (Applavso.) After all, what did money amount to if tho. Empire came out right in the, long' run? ' (Cheers'.) The re- ' sponsible Ministers could not do without it. They required millions for this young country. They were about to raise tho balance (£9,500,000) of the £28,000,000 loan authorised last session', and' during the coming session they would; be asking Parliament for authority to raise more. He did not yet know the exact amount: Ho did not know what New Zealand might be called upon to provide in connection with tho battles that were taking place, battles on on unparalleled scalo and : fraught with untold significance. iAny person who had money to put into jthe War Loan, and who withheld it at [the .present juncture, ought to be sent jto the front and, kept at tho front, because the men .who were fighting for 'the preservation of New Zealand could not-keep going unless they were backed iby the people of tho Dominion. (Applause.) The money needed to arm, equip,, train, and maintain the New Zealand forces in the field and tho reinforcements in tho, ca'cr.ps had to be provided within Now Zealand, and the responses to appeals for funds had been on tho whole magnificent. But there,were some people, iof large and moderate means, who had

dona nothing; others had dono very little. They ought to remember that most of the peoplo who had money wore making somo sacrifice, and lie would bo very sorry if there were any financial shirkers. It would serve them right if their names wcro put on record in the Legislature, that tho people of Now Zealand would know that they wlue not doing their duty. (Loud applause.) If a person shirked his obligation as a man who was physically fit, everyone- knew who ho was. If a man had means, or tho securities upon which he could get thara, then ho was a financial shirker just i.s a physically fit uiau who dodged his responsibilities was a shirker of another kind. There were people in New Zealand who would bo compelled to do their duty in connection with tho raising of tho War Loan. (Applause.) The representatives of the people in Parliament, added Sir, Joseph Ward, had already authorised tho Government to raiso somo £50,000,000 for war purposes. It. was clear, that tho present loan of £9,500,000 would not he the end of the financial demands that tho pooplo of tho Dominion would liavo to raeot. If the war ended six months I from now it would take fully .twelvo I'months to wind up the mighty task that the Empire had undertaken, and standing armies would be required until everything was settled. The Government would have to ask Parliament for large and additional authorities. Sir Joseph Ward emphasised that tho money lent to the Government' by the people of New Zealand was being used for actual war expenditure. The Government had to pay for the ammunition tho New Zealand troops wero using on the West ifront, for the ammunition used on Now Zealand warships, for the daily requirements of the men in tho' field, and.for tho transport of troops. It had to pay for the upkeep of the training camps, for the maintenance of, hospitals in England and France, for the pavment of separation allowances on the "liberal New Zealand scale to dependants of soldiers, and for all the incidental expenditure connected with New Zealand's war effort. Every shilling of the money raised by means of the war loans had been used for war purposes. (Applause.) The Minister thanked the commercial travellers for what they had dpno already, and urged them to set a bright example to the people of New Zealand. He mentioned, in. conclusion, that he hoped in the course of.a few days to make a progress report to the country in connection with the loan. He would extend tho date of closing to April 12 or 15. (Applause.) Mr. Harold Beauchamp, in tho course of some interesting remarks, reported in another column, said that enthusiasm was needed to ensure the success of the loan, and he knew of no body of gentlemen better qualified to develop enthusiasm, and plan, lead, and control" .v thoroughly organised ■■ campaign' than the members of the .Commercial Travellers' Club. The commercial travellers had si habit of 'succeeding in whatever they undertook, and they were supposed to be,_by profession, adepts in the art of inducing people to •buy things'they did not know they wanted. The memhers of the club were, to be commended ifor offering their services to the Minister of Finance, and ho wished them every' suecessjin the effort they were about to make.

The meeting resolved: "That this meeting of Wellington business meii pledges itseff to do its utmost in support of the Liberty Loan." This resolution was warmly applauded, and the meeting concluded with' a. vote of thanks to. the Minister of Finance, and the singing of. the National Anthem. •