Army After The Axe.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1922, Page 1

Army After The Axe.

LONDON, May 5. General Lord Cavan, speaking at the Royal Academy banquet, said: ‘‘The Army of to-day may be described as the survivors of a very strong attack by axes against which neither imagination nor arguments had the slightest effect. In spite of this attack, I am glal to say that tho souls of every county regiment except those iceruited in Southern Ireland, of every cavalry regiment and of very nearly as many batteries of artillery as existed in 1914 still survive. The great pulse of tradition on which the British Army fights is still beating. Any further cuts that are made in the Army must destroy this well-tested foundation of regimental history and tradition, and lie would be indeed n sanguine limn who could suggest an efficient substitute in a voluntary army. If 100.000 people can be moved to frenzy on a Saturday afternoon hv stub a cry as “Home on, Huddersfield.” surely our regimen a I battle names, made sacred on the fie i s „f the world for 000 years, were worth some sacrifice. Certain decisions have lately been made by bis Majesty’s Government with regard to the relations between the Army and the Air Force, cnees are now taking place between It was the earnest desire ol the Army Council to carry these out in the most amicable and helpful spirit. Conferences are now taking place between tho two Forces, and I have every reason to hope that the controversies of the p'st may become tbe co-operation, of the fiit'ii!p. Now tbe war is over, imagination is more needed tl.an ever., ns it becomes necessary to decide not only bow to meet attacks, but also to decide in what form those attacks are likely to he made. We laymen hear rumours of these problems from time to time in the discussions about capital ships for the Navy, and tactics on land and in the air. all of which ask for the magic touch of a pane and vivid imagination. Art in the same way if it _ is to stir the emotions of men as it lias done in the past must have an imagma. lion that can pierce the veil. even though it can but hope to see through it darkly. The part of ns laymen, iu regard to the Imperial Forces, is lo give them our unstinted confidence and support, feeling confident that tlic great imaginative work that they have done ill tile past is a sure promise of what wo may expect of them in the future, for have they not recently passed through the fiercest of all tests and ooino out victorious? Not ffir from mo is sitting a most distinguished Aendemecinn -who so successfully disguised himself as a tree that when my corps took Dilkem Ridge in 1917, T actually saw a mini approaching that tree with a- view to getting more firewood. I cannot pay a higher tribute to art. than that.” (Laughter and cheers).