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The Dominion. TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1918. AN URGENT CALL

At what is perhaps the raosfc critical epoch in the war an earnest appeal to the people of New Zealand has. como from the British Prime Minister. It is ah appeal, which manifestly demands an instant and hearty response. Mr. Lloyd Geokge asks us in plain and even urgent terms to increase the strength of our reinforcement drafts so as to meet the conditions that have now arisen and take our part in providing against an emergency that has yet to be measured. It should in no way affect our readiness to loyally meet this call that we arc' very much in the dark as to some of tho ; questions of war policy involved, and are not yet in a position to measure the dangers which we are invited, in common with the rest of the Empire, to take our part in meeting. The people of the Dominion have a right to expect, however, that the Government 6hall take the earliest opportunity _ of throwing as much light as possible upon a number of matters that are now obscure. This is emphatically a time for frankness. If the perils visibly arising from Germany's desperate bid for victory have not already awakened throughout the Dominion a spontaneous determination to mako just such an increased effort as the British Prime Minister now asks us to make, it is mainly for the reason that we have been led to believo that limits are imposed by circumstances upon tho possibility of our rendering greater assistance in the cause of victory. We have been told on the highest authority that our existing scale of reinforcement is adequate to maintain our fighting formations at full strength. Possibly this pronouncement was made without provision of the tremendous quickening in the pace of the war which has been witnessed in tho last tcn_ days. But the idea has gained wide currency also that the reduction which has been made in the strength of our reinforcement drafts was necessitated by the shortage of shipping and because the Allies were bound to largely employ their available tonnage in shorter voyages than to New Zealand, notably in conveying American troops across tho Atlantic to Franco. As a matter of practical detail, it is evident that Mr. Lloyd George's appeal would be useless and without meaning unless it were accompanied, as it presumably is, by an assurance that shipping will be made available to transport the additional troops the Dominion should be ready and willing to raise in this great emergency. At its face value the appeal means that we havo again to readjust our perspective of the war. Speaking presumably with full knowledge and a_sound grasp of vital facts, speaking certainly with full responsibility, Mr. Lloyd George declares that

The struggle is only in its opening stages, and it is our business to nee that our armies get the maximum measure of support that we can givo them. Let no ono think that what even tho remotest of the Dominions can now do can be too late. Before the campaign is finished the last man may count.

Apart from their urgency and their evident implication that a grim and long-continued struggle is still in prospect, these words .ire calculated in other respects to modify some of our received ideas. The general impression has been created that henceforth the _ best resource availablo to the Allies was to in overy possible way hasten tho deployment of the vast man-power of America in France. This most certainly docs not mean that anything has appeared to justify the. nations already heavily engaged in relaxing their efforts or withholding any possible endeavour. But statements made by the American Secretary for War, together with what is known of the shipping situation, havo gone far to warrant a belief that the expansion of the American armies is incomparably the most important factor tending to give the Allies the decisive superiority they need to win the war. It may bo that this belief is stil! sound and reasonable, but the terms of Mn. Lloyd George's appeal rather appear to suggest that the services of America's full manpower will not bo available in Franco as soon as was expected.

Thore. is no occasion, however, for unworthy forebodings with regard to this or any other aspect of tho war outlook. It is to be recognised that though the United Stales may be actively preparing lo more than fulfil the most favourable expectations of its effective participation, and though the outlook may be. in other respects belter thai' Mn. Lloyd Gunny's message would seem to suggest, it is still sound policy and sound tactics that the Rrifcisli Empire should at this stage united-

ly cast all the additional weight at its disposal into the scale victory. Action on these lines jy the British Empire and its Allies is only second in importance to their immediate achievements in the field of battle as tending to convince the t'licmy that his hopes of breaking down their moral fortitude and scoring a "political victory" are Vain. That tho outlook is not yet as bright as wo had hoped it would be after three and a half years of war is plain enough. It is all the more necessary on that account that we should maintain a clear-cut determination to prevail in the end and to shrink from no sacrifice in the cause for which so many gallant soldiers of our own race and others have freely rendered up their lives. That we are perhaps menaced by veiled as. well as visible dangers does not affect the main question at stake. If it were necessary to cast about for reasons for responding instantly and readily to the British Prime Minister's appeal, it would be enough that as a remote Dominion of the Empire, incapable of standing alone, interest combines with loyalty in bidding us redouble our exertions. But our response will assuredly be governed not by narrow considerations of local selfinterest, but by the spirit of our race—a spirit which throughout our history has blazed highest and brightest in times of reverse or threatened defeat. Wo arc now called upon to prove ourselves inheritors of this spirit and to translate it into action. To that end we need from our Government first of all a frank and open statement of tho facts, and then a strong lead.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19180402.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 165, 2 April 1918, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,069

The Dominion. TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1918. AN URGENT CALL Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 165, 2 April 1918, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 1918. AN URGENT CALL Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 165, 2 April 1918, Page 4

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