GRIT AND SACRIFICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 217, 20 February 1915, Page 2

GRIT AND SACRIFICE.

BRITAIN AT HEK BEST, .MIGHTY I'KEI'AKATIONS FOU VICTORY. KEV. W. KLADE'S IMPRESSIONS. "Great Britain is busy and dctcriiiin- ;.-(!, and ail classes and creeds are united in resolution to maintain British liberty at any cost." That explains briefly the paramount impression upon the steady mind of tli-'i Rev. W. Siado, of the Central Missm.i, who returned recently from a memorable trip to the Homeland. "I was in England during the first four critical months of the war," he informed a Star reporter, "aud saw tlce people of the Old Country aroused to a wonderful acceptance of duty. The response of the British nation to the call was, and still is, really magnificent. And the men at the head of all'airs are magnificent. Tha Government have been splendid, and there is no doubt that the country has got the best men in control of administrative all'airs. Consider the army, for example. Granted that the British army was a small one, it was ready. There was nothing defective in the preparation of the Army, such as it was, for war. And the Navy was ready. They simply moved out to their appointed places ami tremendous tasks with the smoothness and exactitude of machinery. It was due to the fact tlu'.t there were no cobwebs to sweep out if the War Office—thanks to Lord Haldane —that Lord Kitchener was able to land the British Expeditionary Force in France so quickly and so complete as he did. Everything was in order when Lord Kitchener took command, and confidence filled the nation from the start.''

GREAT SACRIFICE. "One is filled with admiration for the spirit of sacrifice i n the people, and for I!v willingness with which they have given their sons to the Empire—only Kins in numberless eases, all their sons in many lini-w. l n , 10 waik of life, has that sacrifice been so marked as among the upper classes. The. extent of their sacrifice is shown in the high mortality among the sons of aristocratic families. There is hardly an aristocratic family iv England that is not in mourning. Another remarkable feature of the first response to the call of arms was the great number of "war marriages" in high life. Heirs to great estates went to the altar one day and left for the front the next. And the middle classes in England have responded splendidly. The working classes, of whom so many live amvlst sacrifice all the time, have also answered the call readily, although not quite sc numerously in proportion as the other classes." PRACTICAL PATRIOTISM. "The behaviour of many great commercial firms has been very fine. I had a conversation with one of the directors of a big trading concern in the North of 'England, and he informed me that three thousand of their employers had enlisted. The firm had not only made arrangements to keep their patriotic employees' positions open for them, but agreed to pay the difference b.v tween the military wages and tire or dinary Mages of the men—an arrangement that costs the firm £I,OOO a month. 'flint is the snirit that actuates the people of England." LIBERTY SHALL BE MAINTAINED. Tlie loyalty of the press in observing their pledge to the military authorities not to disclose the movements and departures of troops and the Navy was perfect. The Expeditionary Force doparted from Southern ports, and not a, word, not a hint appeared in the press. Ev rybody appreciated the necessity for secrecy. The British nation l'ecogl!Js"s that a great trust has been put upon them to guard the safety of the Empire, and to maintain British liberty in every clime. And the Old Country' shows no sign of distress. The people know the greatness of their task, and they are prepared to do their duty. The whole ' of England is a military camp. On every vacant bit of land sturdy men are drilling, drilling, every day, preparing for a mighty task this year. Sunday schools in provincial towns have bce n taken for barracks, and numberless private homes have been given up to the authorities for hospitals! Strong men come home weary from the war, and strong me n go forth to battle. The organisation is magnificent. There is no stint on the part of the nation either in th(! form of money or men. There is simply a determination to succeed no matter how great the cost and sacrifice." .

A NATION UNITED. 1 "The unanimity of the British nation . is absolute. The feeling is growing that' this year will witness a bitter strug-j file. The people feel that Germany] knows she is beaten, and is really only' fighting for the best possible terms. Of course, the reports as to the German •resources are very conflicting. But one thing is certain in the Homeland; The people are determined to fight to a triumphant finish." p RATDS AND ATROCITIES. "I was on my wav to Yarmouth whe n the first German raid took place. Tlie raid was a failure, owing to the bovs of C.'alston having been moved out. ' The neon],, did not really take the raid seriously. They felt that such p. thin? could not be in Enghrd. Yes. I beard si lot about the German atrocities, and did my best to find reliable evidence. I met a Belgian from Louvain, whose word was dependable. Tie told me !,:• saw old people driven from their homes, and placed in front ot '■'ermnn soldiers for a screen. He nlso saw women stripped of clothing, and their clothes honied in the market-places. But these were the occurrences during the davs when Hie German soldiers were drunken. Tliev had ransacked cellars, and became intoxicated. Tt must be admitted, however, that a great, deal of their brutal conduct was part of their calculated police of intimidation. Th-v are giving the fullest expression to their policy of makin n- war frightful, but the British Deo-ih-absolutely refuse to become scared. As a matter of fact, the terrorising taeGcs trendy slremrthcn the determination of (]>•■ British nation to go through to a successful end. ' ' ' "T heard of BoWsi,, children havir-r ' h"cn maimed ernellr by German sol- ' die-, and T tried hard to find the=« < children, who wer» reported as being in ' England. While T was in Eastbourne. ' T was told that a maimed Belgian child > was in the (own. but nobody could take i me to _ the child. I asked the clonrv- t man with whom T was stopping to take i me. hut he enn'd iu,t find the child. And s m" Belgia,, informant told me that he c did not know of any eases of maimed children."

A FRUIT VOW JUSTICE. "Tlic attitude of sill classes and creeds towards the war is that Circat Britain is fifrlitin-r for justice and liberty. Tlierc is no dissenting voice. Tlic Church is wilh the nation in prayer and support Even prominent peace leaders like T)r Clill'ord and the Kev. V. 15. Meyer recognise the justice of Britain's' attitwK All are united ill determination to see the thine- throu»h. The thoughtful nie„ of (he Mother [.and feel that the war must not end until a tremendous power for evil has been destroyed.

ENGLAND IS BUSY. "England Is busy. It iiiuat not be forgotten that the millions of wouniLspcnt on ihc war ere briny spent in tin Old Country. There is also much money coming from France to purchase mater ia!, factories are working day and in manufacturing war material. But tie trades that cats r for the non-neeessitie oi life are dull. There is no demand fr fancy goods and jewellery. The peop • are not spending money foolishly. Tie.', do not feel like spending money on things that do not really matter. The spirit of thrift is growing. Then there is wide scope for spending in directions that lead to direct support of the great Imperial task. The people recognise that it is not the time for extravagant nonsense." SOCIAL REFORM SET BACK. "One effect of the war will be the delay of social reform, which is much needed in the Old Country, especially m the manufacturing towns. Much of the money that would have been spent in that desirable purpose has been diverted to war purposes. The paramount duty of the nation to-day is to crush the military power for evil." NEW ZEALAN.DERS' DUTY. "What we want to understand hero," concluded Mr Slade, "is that it is our battle as much as it ia Great Britain's battle. It is our duty, as it is the. (iutv of " ■'! nation, to spend o'ir last shilling to defend our great empire."