COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 186, 26 April 1918, Page 6

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS

PATRIOTIC DEMONSTRATION ADDRESSES BY MINISTERS ' Members of tfio Commercial Travellers' Assotiatio.il assembled in the reading room of their club at noon yesterday to mark tnerr appreciation of the significance of AnzacDay. The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. ]?. Massey), the Minister of Finance (Sir Josupii Ward), the Minister oi' Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell), and the Minister of Munitions (the Hon. A. M. Myers) were present. Mr. W. R Cuthbertson, president of' the association, was in the chair. Hie proceedings opened with tho National Anthem. Tlio Primp' Minister said that the. people of Now Zealand wore rendering no mero lip service when they paid their tribute to tho heroes of Anzai; on the third anaiversary of the landing at Uiillipoli. The tribute camo from hearts and consciences, for the men wlioso deeds were boing celebrated that day had proved themselves worthy of it. (Applause.) Mr. Massey gavo warm praise to tho .patriotic work done by the commercial travellers throughout New Zealand during the course of the war. The military effort that the Dom ; nion had made was worthy of tho best thut tho people at home could do to support the soldiers. Now Zealand, with a population of 1,130,000, had sent over 100,000 men to tho front, and in addition there had been thousands of men who had offered their services, but had been rejected on account of physical disabilities. This was a record of which the country could bo very proud, and the end of the effort was not vel. li"uturo generations of New Zealanders would look back with very great pride on what the Dominion had done in the time of tho nation's supreme peril. (Applause.) Mr. Massey went in to refer to the development of the war. Hd said that the British Empire and its Allies had to fane two chief dangers at the present time. One danger was tho submarine He believed that the effects of tho submarine attack were decreasing, and that in time to come the submarine would bo relegated to Hie mime category of inc-lToctivencss ns the Zeppelin. The other' danger was the tremrndous attack .made by Iho German armies on the West front, The

first stage of that attack had been passed, but nobody uiuat imagine- that tho Gernuiu offensive was at an end. Tho danger was not ever by a very long way. The cablegrams received that day announced that a. fresh effort had been begun by tlio Uermans, who were pressing renewed attacks on the British lines. Ho did not believe thut the Germans could inn. Time was lighting for tho British. Tho Germans wanted to smash tho British forces before the American reinforcements could take- tn effective part in the campaign, but he did not believe for a moment that they would succeed. (Applause.) Ho believed that the British were going to stop tho German advan&e, and that the enemy would, be unable to reach the Channel ports. Sacrifices would have to be made by all the peoples of the British Empire in order to tide over tho period <i danger, iiut Britons all over the world were prepared to stand firm and seo tho thing through. (Applause.) Sir Joseph Ward said ho felt he was joining .with the wholo nation in commemorating with pride and sorrow the splendid sacrifices made by the heroes of Anzac. Tho men who had died at Gallipoli, fighting under terrible conditions against great odds for the caiise of human freedom, would never bo forgotten. Their mimes wore recorded in tho hearts of the nation. There had been criticism of the inception and conduct ot the Gallipoli campaign. He btlieved it was a fact that ii those responsible for the effort had arranged for sufficient forces to be availablo at the right time the Peninsular would havo been won and the war would by this limo have ended. Somebody had blundered. Inquiries as to how the blunder occurred were iittle satisfaction to those who had lost loved ones. But let it never Iμ imagined that the men who died on (ifillipoli had died in vain. They had fought the good'fight and maintained linstii-.npd the very Highest traditions of their n.ition. They had given the young countries an idtal of service and sacrij fice that would be nmembered for all tnwi. Sir Joseph Ward prided that New Zealand™ were lonunomorating the third anniversary of Anzac Day with -a firm determination that whatever tue further ifforta might be, the facrinces that had already been made should not Ibe in vain. He did rot believe that Britain or her Allies would end the war until full victory had been assured; until they had turned the tido back, enlered German territory, and carried the 1 flags of freedom right to Berlin. (Apj plause.) 1 The Hon. G W. Eussell said that the i time had not come yet for reviewing tho i Gallipoli campaign. The full facts would be known some day, and tho nation would be able to form its final judgment on the men who led. But there would never be any reviewing of the opinion already formed regarding tho men who fought. Those men had reached the heights of heroic endeavour, and of their achievement the nation was proud indeed. Mr. Bussell proceeded to say that Hie nation must face the lacts of" the war with open eyes. He believed that the victory would be won. But the war had shown that religious m'ofessions and civilisation were but a thin veneer on the primitive man. The nation that would live must be prepared to fight. j The German people would bo strong after the war, whatever the result might be, and the British people must see that j never again were they taken unprepared, jas had been the case in 1914. Interring to the Anzac landing, tho Minister said ho hoped that when tho war was over Anzac Cove would be a British possession, or at least international giound. It would bo a spot sacred to New Zealand and Australian heroes, and it should be planted with trees brought from the native lands of tho dead heroes, and made a place of pilgrimage for future generations of Britons from the southern lands. ■' The Hon. A. M. Myers associated himself with the other Ministers in their tributes to tho Anzac heroes. British people should not need to learn again tho lesson of preparedness. Hβ remembered that early in 191-1 he had met the late Lord Boberts, who had expressed his regret that Britain hud-.,not followed the example of New Zealand and Australia by adapting universal military training. " When her (hour has come Germany will strike," said Lord .Roberts. "I have great forebodings for the future." For the future the safety of the Empire must be the first consideration. Mr. F. W. Manton, in moving a vote of thanks to the Ministers for their speeches, said there were people in New Zealand to-day who were saying, "Hold! Enough!" Theso people wero not worthy of British citizenship. The war could be won. It must be won, for there was no choice between victory and shameful defeat. The man who allowed his heart to fail him now, and who advocated a humiliating and disastrous peace, leaving a dominant and victorious Germany, should be forever accursed. Mr. Manton appealed to the business men of New Zealand to put their full weight behind tho Government and tho Army in the prosecution of the war. Tho vote of thanks to the Ministers was carried, and the gathering closed with the National Anthem and "Rule Britannia." "■