Canada

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 165, 18 December 1914, Page 5

Canada

STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF WAR "CANADA MUST BE READY," j Received 18, 1.20 a.m. ' Ottawa, December 17. Mr Hughes, Minister of Wtvr, in a 'Statement to tlie Canadian public sivys it is unlikely that General Joll're will niake an immediate advance; to drive tlie Germans out of Belgium. Britain and France arc by no mei'ns yet ready for a .great, .offensive .moveiaoiit. Mr Hughes said he did not think it likely that the war would end soon. Germany's preparations were far more complete than oven outside military experts were aware. Canada must be ready to arm eight per cent, of the male population if necessary. He was glad, to some .extent, J ' ■■•' tv British people now felt what war wan really like. It would awaken them to the immensity of tin; conflict, and cause them to abandon toutball .and do their duty. ' THE OVERSEAS .DOMINIONS. STABILITY OF .THE EMPIRIC. London, December 10. Mr Borden's statement as to Canada's .military resources has occasioned wide.comment. Its quiet assurance of ultimate British victory is especially condemned. The Pall Mall Gazette says that Mr Borden's memorandum is a picture in -miniature of the difficulties caused, by .the lack of organisation for war prevailing throughout tlie .Empire. At the f.ame lime there is -no lack of deter-, mutation on the part.of.tlie British pec pie to see the struggle through to a , victorious eoncdlusion. An invidious comparison is sometimes made between the willingness of Britain's.overseas Dominions to serve the Empire and tlie alleged slm-kwss of Britons at Home. This is unfair and misleading, but:tlie Dominions ban,done and are dfcinp magnificently.' Autralians and New Zealand'is are not a vrhit;behind the Canadians in readiness, to serve. The tide -at British power, is i.King steadily and utrongly and the Germans w ill shortly 'i,e compelled to ; realise the fact, against viikh they have stubbornly shut their ..eyes, that the Empire is no haphazard eiilU-otion of tributary flUtcs, but a brotUtfliood of free peoples tv/itli ideals or pea-e*-,'liberty and a (leteriuinaticn ihai. these 'ideals shall prevail iu .the world and tliu.t the weakest nations shall enjoy the Jiiejiit to live their ovw lives equally sn>th the strongest.