BRITAIN AND THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1568, 24 June 1916, Page 4

BRITAIN AND THE WAR.

“WILL RISE TO OCCASION.” SPEECH BY MR. LLOYD CEO ROE. THE NEED EOR CONFIDENCE. The following extracts arc taken ,I'min !in eloquent speech by Mr Lloyd George, British Minister for Munitions, to bis constituents at Conway : This is a great storni Hint is sweeping; over the favoured lands of Europe, but in (his night of terror you will Mud selfishness, the hard crust of selfishness and greed has been shattered and in the rent hearts of the people you will find treasures, golden treasures of courage, steadfastness, endurance, devotion, and of the faith that endureth for ever. (Loud cheers.) I have no fear of the people. Britain will light it out. We are a sluggish people, but no one ever made tin* mistake, without suffering for it, that we were fainthearted, for I believe in the old motto, “Trust the people.” Tell them what is happening —there is nothing to conceal. Have all the facts before* them. They are courageous people, but they never put forward their best effort; in (his land until they face the alternative of disaster. Tell them what they are confronted with, and they will rise to every occasion. War is a terrible business. But men will face all its horrors if they have confidence in their leaders. But if there is hesitation, if there is timidity, if there is the appearance of irresolution, the bravest hearts will fail, and the spirit of the nation is the propellant of its armies. .Therefore it. is important whatever happens that you should have confidence that the Government is doing its best in the firmest and most, resolute manner to conduct the war. Many men, many minds; and if there are not many minds you may depend upon it there are not very many men. They are not men, but automata, and what 1 want to know is this : Whether the nation in a great war wants counsellors or mere penny-in-the-slot machines, if the latter, then all .1 can say is 1 desire to be no part of the equipment. But, I want, to say one thing. Time is not, an ally. It is a doubtful neutral at the present moment, and has not yet settled on our side. But time can he won over by effort, by preparation, by determination, by organisation. • •••«••• The Central Powers are pooling their forces, all their intelligence, all their brains, all their efforts. We have the means, they 100, often have the methods. Let us apply their methods to our imams and we win. A badly conducted war means a bad peace, and a bad peace means no peace at all.