Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY. MAY 29 1917 THE PREMIER’S APPEAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY. MAY 29 1917 THE PREMIER’S APPEAL.

For once in a while Mr Lloyd George’s rhetoric in the House of Commons seems to have lost its fall measure of cheery optimism. He “ urges,” he “appeals,” he “ pleads,” and he closes with a little “if” which just carries with it a sense of doubt and difficulty, as though the great man were tiring of his task and his splendid endeavors to work ont the salvation of the natioD. It must be wearying indeed to find that the break npon a solution of the war, as far as Britain concerned, comes entirely from within. There are two great running sores which are sapping the strength and proving a negative to the giaot efforts pnt forth in other directions to win the war. The two oatstanding and unsolved difficulties which are menacing Britain’s success tlae Irelend and Labor. The factions in Ireland appear to be irreconcilable, and even at a supreme moment like the present neither one nor the other appear to prepared to enter the conference he.ll with a mind at all amenable io a working settlement, This condition of affairs is a reproach to the nation, and especially now when onr Allies expect ua to do the right thing, to do in oar own Kingdom as we woulll have the enemy do with European State?. Ia the same way with Labor, there is still open revolt as is evidenced by the engineers’ strike when there should be nonght but feverish industry prevailing. The greatest menace the Germans have put forih to harm Great Britain has been tb9 submarines which alone can delay the -satisfactory ending of the war so far as British interests are concerned. The Premier has now assured the British Parliament and incidentally the nation, of the position in these solemn words: “1 say this with a fall sense of responsibility on behalf of the Government, after the most careful consideration of the whole faots, that if everyone does their duty the German hope of trinmph in this war, whioh is based on their submarines, is the greatest miscalculation of the whole series of miscalculations made by the German Empire.” This is an urgent demand, from Mr Lloyd George for all “ to do their daty.” The peril is great. It is the fulcrum on whioh snccsrs might be fevered if the national strength were used

unitedly at the power end of the Ipver. It seems a little thing to do after all to achieve so great a purpose. If the Irish Convention could but meet with an open mind and in the national risk and danger forget (heir own squabbles and differences, and thinking only of the general weal, work out a commonbasis of Government which would bring pßaee and oontentmsnt where now civil war simmers pnd discontent reigns, what a great factor it would be to’have all Ireland with th 9 Empire for a great finish to the wa»\ If at such a crisis the Irish queetion-caonot be settled then there will he but poor prospect of doirg so subsequently. Indeed it might be too late, and it wonld in any case be a gross reflection on the boaßted fairmindedness of the nation. To Hettle the engineers’ strike Mr Lloyd George suggests fresh overtures, and he is grateful to the United States for extra craft, placed at Britain’s disposal. With the outlook es it is, it is clear that the Prime Minister is moat anxious of tbe conree of internal events, and this anxiety has quenched somewhat bis usual cheery optimism and buoyancy of ■peecb.