ARE WE DOING ALL WE CAN DO?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 168, 22 December 1914, Page 7

ARE WE DOING ALL WE CAN DO?

A FRENCHMAN'S LAMENT. London, October 30, No on« lit this time would wish to cmbarrass the War Ollice by needless criticism. But it is well that the people of Croat Britain should be constantly asking themselves if they are doing all they can do in this great crisis of their history. Are they doing all they can do tu help themselves? Are they doing all they can do to help others? Are we doing all we can do to defeat the Germaus? Are we doing all we can do to help the Belgians? A stimulating letter in the Morning Post by "Un Ami Sincere," who writes from Le .Segin, France, puts some interesting questions to the British people. He says: — FRANCE LIVES ONLY FOR WAR. "The French Press, under date, October Hi, quotes an article in your journal, which you say: 'lt belongs to England to make efforts, worthy of her cause and worthy of the ell'orts of the Allies.' "Hare I tell you every day the great majority of Frenchmen make this reflection ? France lives only for war. Our factories are closed. Our commerce is null. We have orilv one thought that our 2,1100,000 soldiers shall crush Germany. WHAT HAS ENGLAND DONE? What has England done? She has sent us 200,000 men, and lias issued an appeal to her sons. The English contingent which is fighting on the Continent does not represent half of the French who up till now' have been put out of action. As for your appeal for recruits, it has established that out of a population of forty millions there arc lip till now 000,000 men who, fit for service, consider that they should risk their lives on the field of battle where the fate of their country is at stake! "Countries like Ireland, Canada, and Australia, which have a population of about five millions each, have furnished contingents of 20,000 to 30,000 men each! It is the half of what, without speeches or special ell'orts, we have received from our four millions of Arabs in Algeria! I leave it to \o\\ to comment upon the figures. "Kvery day the British press proclaims the imperious necessity of annihilating' .Germany. In magnificent articles, the newspapers say that Great Britain will fight one, two, three, and, if necessary, twenty years, that she will raise one,' two and even three millions of soldiers. The declarations suggest the best intentions; but if you can raise so many men as that, in the interests of your country as of ours, do it at once. They day when the French army shall have a million Englishmen fighting at its side—we do not ask for more—the Allies will be in Berlin two months later. N "For the moment, the Germans occupy half of Poland, Belgium, and the North of France, where they obtain supplies by impositions and procure part of the money necessary for their resistance. They take possession of the | harvests and send them to Gerina-.iy. "The resistance of the Allies proves that the balance should hang quickly on our side if you made a greater effort, if you could increase immediately your contingent by some hundreds of thousands of men. WHAT IT MEANS TO ENGLAND, "The result of this war has more importance for England than for France. If the Allies are conquered, your statesman have said that your nation will become a nation of the second order, that your lot will be one of poverty, since you exist especially by your relations with the outside world, 'which Germany will take away from you. We Frenchmen live on the wealth of our country, and it would be much less affected. On the other hand, as conquerors, you would have the hegemony of the world for a "hundred years at least, and an immense commercial profit. It is singular that such weighty matters in prospect have induced you to enrol only 000,000 men. YOU CAN'T HAYF, IT ALL WAYS. "Do you not see that it is not possible to save at the same time life, tranquility, and commerce, to assure the fate of armic J s? Without doubt, your fleet is "blocking German ports and destroying German commerce. We are doing the same with regard to Austria. But neither your Fleet and ours will prevent Germany and ln-.tna from obtaining supplies through the neutral countries surrounding them. Of this you are aware. "You also know that thi.*. war cannot last more than a year, because Gic Slates would not have the necessary funds to stand the expense. You Knew, 100, that you would be incapable of pursuing it without the Russians and ourse.\cs, and that the fate ef the conflict will be decided on land and not at sea. Then what ought you to do? "Declare for conipuisory 'military tiaining service in England and your Dominions from the age of nineteen up to forty-eight. Raise all your iit un n. 'Hicn you may hope to start for Berlin R'ui finish with the Germans. "Lack of means, you say. Has not r'jance called out all her mm e\:Ty time the .'ouutry has been in dinger? Iliii'.' ue j -ot raised oil,- 'mole!. -' bv iduitical .ivlliods, in ISTrtV Have not and Montenegro :i"ined their iiatU.ii for the common jood ' Das not .'icrmany aljiiady sent to .(he fi\>ur confidents of young volunteers, seveu--icm year,-, oi age, who have barely had t-,.0 month.*' training, arming tiicm with i W rilles, and, according to our newspapers, old gnu*? That is ihow she tlr-fcit-ls the country when it is danger, and yours, like mini?, is in .(Lunger. A»d the -danger will only when you are in Br ..'ii in force. "Certainly this will ro»y,.hv sacrifices fr.om the people. But "a is necessary you slivuld make them us w<-H us France and shv ;:i„vl<l make Gem all tin; more easily slice she has not the expenses of keeping up a permanent army, the existence of which would have siilljeed to prevent- this war. SACRi'FICES-CERTA! XLY. ' "But you will judge, whether it is 1 right that your clerks should remain at their desks, that your agriculturists may rest in their fields, that your manufacturers should employ their time in capturing German trade, that your theatres and mush'.-hall should remain opi n when your men in France, from the age of nineteen to forty-eight, are at war, and when French 'families, without exception, are in mourning. At present, all our Territorials are under anus, and a large number are at the front. Why are yours not there? You know well that you nave nothing to f>ar from the point of view of landing them in France. .._