The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1916. THE DARDANELLES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 7, 10 January 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1916. THE DARDANELLES.

(With, which is incorporated The Tat hape Post and Waimarino News.)

Now that we have Sir lan Hamilton’s official report of the Gallipolian operations, and find but very little more than has already been cabled to the uttermost ends of the earth, we 'are amazed at the contemptibly dishonest, and perilous prelusive wrangling criminally indulged in by British politicians purely for political purposes. When accusations were first made against the Dardanelles operations by the London “Times,” “Daily Mail” and other papers under Lord Northcliffe’s control, they seemed impossible of credence, but now the whole truth is out it is fully real- [ ised to what extremes of peskiness, » corruption and misinterpretation generally some who call themselves Britishers will endanger the Empire, waste thousands of lives and harrass the conduct of the war, solely to gain {some miserable political ascendancy. Had their attitude been such as involved disregard of moral principles sand duty only, it would have been neg- •*•*• f

ligible, but, when it constitutes a deliberate disregard of considerations for the preservation of the best life of the Empire no language is too strong to denounce it, or any punishment too severe to inflict. The (Nortlicliffe press, with their plastic tool, Lord Ribblesdale, knew quite well, although it may not officially have been disclosed to them, that after the overrunning of Servia had commenced and the opening of the railway to Constantinople had become probable, Lord Kitchener had decided to remove his forces from Anzac and Suvla Bay; that he Was in communication with Sir lan Hamilton on the subject; and they also knew, despite their feigned ignorance, that General Munro- had been sent to the effect the withdrawal owing to Sir lan Hamilton being of the, opinion that the operation might prove disastrous, and yet i they persisted in a dishonest controversy, divulging the - very facts that could bring the disaster,to our men they corruptly” feigned to be solicitous to preyent. Need we in New Zealand Avonder at the suppression of one of their vilely dangerous publications, Indeed, it is not understandable why Lord Northcliffe’s pen AA r as not sterilised altogether. They were New Zealand and Australian lives that these ultra-tories Avere playing with. The Turco-Germans knew as well as avc did, perhaps better, that it Avas proposed to Avithdraw our men and it was quite an equal chance which story they Avould believe —remain or quit. They kneAV hoAv determined and stubbornly the British fight, and, luckily for our men, they chose that which enabled them to g s et aAvay safely; but the Turks Avere quite as likely to believe the real facts Avhich the Northcliffe papers Avere trying with their collectiA'e might to drive into them. We hesitate to contemplate the huge slaughter of our New Zealand men that must most surely have folloAved such an alternative, for thousands of them Avould never have' reached the sphere of action in which Lord Kitchener had decided they Avere much more urgently needed to secure victory. Ncav Zealand and Australia are being fooled and gagged with praises from such reptilian publications, but it is hoed that a voice Avill be raised to prevent anything of the kind in the future. The Turks Avere virtually told that our men were going to be moved for more effective work, noAV is your time to Avipe them out. But the Turks, even, could not believe. England possessed such traitors and they decided, as they thought, they would not risk being entrapped. This shows how slender the thread Avas upon which hung the lives of our braA r e lads, whom avc have sorroAVfully, reluctantly, and yet willingly, sent to fight for the Empire’s existence and our freedom from slavery. That the pesky pestiferous breath of such journals was wasted fwas no fault of theirs, for they persisted to the last extreme.

Sir lan Hamilton’s report discloses that the Dardanelles campaign has not been the valueless exploit that some British newspapers, and some correspondents of the Ashmead Bartlett type, would have the world beUeve. The report has made that pretty clear. But that is not all, for opposed to nest-foullers, pessimists ami political) vultures, we have |on the authority of temperate, honest experts and writers, quite the other side of the question. What may be taken as a summary Sir Conan Doyle gave us when he said that the severest critic in the world only point to one place where we have failed, namely, the Dardanelles; but, he asks, has there been failure there? He says, if _the Straits are never forced, the enterprise was. wmrth undertaking. We held up a great body of the best trbbps, who would otherwise have been’ operating against - the AngloFrench :;i 6p the Russians. General Hamilton- 'kept the pressure off General Maxwell’ on one side , and off . General Nixon on i the other. But the greatest result is .that, it has thoroughly united us to | Russia, who knows we have spent otlr. blood and our ships trying to force the gates enclosing her. He also questions whether the Central powers can maintain a road to Constantinople with the Allies entrenched on their flank. Mr. Winstone Churchdll has been criticised for saying we were Only a few miles from victory, and yet that was obviously true. Mr Churchill, did not underrate the formidable task. : Sir Conan Doyle adds, “there : is a great difference in the German and British press; yet in our heart of hearts we are as certain of victory ag that to-morrow’s sun will shine.”