ROAD HOG Of EUROPE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 144, 12 November 1914, Page 7

ROAD HOG Of EUROPE.

GERMAN EMPEROR CANED. i ' ! BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE. . London, September 25. Few recent speeches have received such high praise as that given by Mr. Lloyd George in the Queen's HaH. on Saturday. "The greatest speech of hiß public career," says the Times. "Some speeches are deeds, and this is such a one. Such, too, was Mr. Redmond's historic utterance in the House of Commons; such were Sir Edward Grey's vindication of British policy and the Prime Minister's declaration at the Guildhall." "He publicly caned the German Emperor," says Mr. Harold Begbie in the Observer. "It would be difficult to name any single politician in England, except perhaps the Prime Minister," says the Telegraph, "likely to wield a more persuasive influence at the present moment." WHAT WE OWE THEM. "The world owes much to little nations —(cheers) —and to little men," said Mr. Lloyd George. '■' This theory of bigness —you must have a big empire and a big nation and a big man—well, long legs have their advantage in a retreat. (Laughter). Frederick the Great chose his warriors for their height, and that tradition has become a policy in Germany. Germany applies that ideal to nations. She will only allow six-feet-two nations to stand in the ranks. But all the world owes much to the little fivefeet high nations. (Cheers). I. "The greatest art of the world was | the work of little nations. The most enduring literature of the world came from little nations. The greatest literature of England came from her when she was a nation of the size of Belgium fighting a great empjje. The heroic deeds that thrill humanity through generations were the deeds of little nations fighting for their freedom. "Ah, yes, and the salvation of mankind came through a little nation. God | has chosen little nations as the vessels i by which he carries the choicest wines I to the lips of humanity, to rejoice their hearts, to exalt their vision, to stimui late had to strengthen their faith, and ■ if we had stood by when two little ! nations were, being crushed and' broken by the brutal hands of barbarism our shame would have rung down the evcr- : lasting ages. (Cheers.)"

THE RUSSIAN SLAV'S ANSWER. Of Austria's insolent ultimatum to Servia Mr. Lloyd George said: • "Here was a demand made upon her by "a great military Tower who could put five or six men in the field for every one she could; and that power supported by the greatest military Power in the world. How did Servia behave? It is not what happens to you in life that matters; it is the way in which you face it. (Cheers). And Servia faced the situation with dignity. (Loud cheers). She said to Austria: —'If any officers of mine have been guilty and are proved to he criiilty T will dismiss thorn. Austria said, 'That is not good-chough for me.' It was not guilt she was after, but capacity. (Laughter.) "Then came Russia's turn. Russia has a special interest in Servia. Russians have shed their blood for Servian independence many a time. Servia is a member of her family, and she cannot see Servia maltreated. 'Austria.knew that. Germany knew that, and Germany turned round to Russia and said:—'l insist that you shall stand by with your arms folded whilst Austria, is strangling your little brother to death.' (Laughter.)' "What answer did the Russian Slav give? He gave the only answer that becomes a man. (Cheers.) He turned to Austria and said: 'You lay hands on that little fellow and I will tear your ramsliaklc empire limb from limb.' (Prolonged cheers). And he is doing it. (Rei newed cheers.)

NO ROOM FOR THE SOUL. "God made man in His own image, high of purpose, in the region of the spirit. German civilisation would recreate him in the image of a Diesler machine —precise, accurate, powerful, with no room for the soul to operate. That is the higher civilisation. "This was their religion: —Treaties: they tangle the' feet of Germany in her advance; cut them with the sword. Little nations: they hinder the advance of Germany; trample them in the mire under the German heel. The Russian Slav; he challenges the supremacy of* Germany in Europe; hurl your legions at him and massacre him. Britain: she is a constant menace to the predominancy of Germany in the world; wrest tlie trident out of her hand. "More than that, the new >,M'-.~.'iliy of Germany is to s destroy Christianity—sickly sentimentalism about sacrifice for others, poor pap for German months.' We will have tlie new diet, we will force it on tlie world. It will be ■made in Germany—daughter)—a. diet of blood and iron. ' What remains? Treaties gone; the honor of nations gone: liberty .'/one ■What is left? Germany—Germany is left -Dentschland über Alios. That is all that is left. "That is what we are fight iiw, that claim to predominancy of a civilisation, a material one, a hard one, a civilisation which, if once it rules and sways the world, liberty goes, democracy vanishes. '

"We are not fighting the German people. The German people are just as much under the heel of this Prussian military caste, and more so, thank God. than any other nation in Europe. It will be a day of rejoicing for the German peasant and artisan and trader when the military caste is broken. (Cheers). You know his pretensions. He gives himself the airs of a demi-god walking the pavement —civilians and their wives swept into the gutter; they have no right to stand in the way of the great Prussian Junker. Men, women, nations—they have all got to go. -He thinks all he has got to say it, 'We are-in a hurry.' (Laughter). That is the answer he gave to Belgium. 'Rapidity of action is Germany's greatest asset,' which means, 'I am in a hurry. Clear out of my way.' ROAD-HOG OF EUROPE.

! "You know the type of motorist, the terror of the roads, with a 00-li.p. car. He thinks the roads are made for him, and anybody who impedes the action of hi 3 car by a single mile is knocked down. The, Prussian Junker is the road-hog of Europe.. (Loud cheers.) Small nationalities in his way hurled to the roadside, bleeding and broken; women^anjhisMldß