MR. ASQUITH'S SPEECH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 271, 26 April 1915, Page 7

MR. ASQUITH'S SPEECH.

REMARKABLE SCENE IN HOUSE .01' COMMONS. Loudon, March 5. Everybody admires the way in which the Prime Minister, finely responding to the trumpet call of the greatest emergency that ever confronted a British statesman, lias faced the music of the gu/.a of Armageddon. Mr. Asquith'3 speeches on the war have revealed him as a statesman of high courage,.,shrewd sagacity, and obstinate resolution, not unworthy to rank with those stouthearted and cool-headed statesmen whose famous names have passed into house-* hold words in our rough island story. A vast and distinguished audience, many of whom wore khaki and spurs, assembled in the House of Commons to hear the Prime Minister deliver his historic speech 011 submitting the greatest vote of credit in all the records of Parliament. Among the audience were an M.P. in the active service uniform of the Black Watch, bronzed from the rough campaigning of the trenches in Flanders, and with one arm still in a sling, and the handsome young soldier brother of the late Captain O'Neill, the first M!P. to fal]_in this war; HISTORIC OCCASION. It was a memorable scene. The whole of the vast assembly was rivetted in statuesque attention on the solitary and distinguished figure standing at the Treasury table. The Prime Minister's sturdy figure, leaning with folded arms on the famous old tin box, battered by the signet rings of a whole galaxy of British statesmen, from Gladstone io the Georgian giants, was full of dignity and vigor. His strong masterful features were lit up with a great ardor of patriotic determination, and his splendid voice, inspired by the occasion to matchless oratory,- rang with exhortation and defiance. Some there must have been among those present, who, like myself, were irresistibly reminded of the statue of the greater William Pitt, standing with uplifted arm near by in Westminster Hall, and of Macaulay's immortal essay, in which the historian and scholar apostrophises the effigy, and describes it as still bidding his countrymen to be of good cheer and his country's statesmen to hurl defiance at her foes. "TILL THE HOUR COMES.". In addition to thirty-seven millions to tide the country over the war expenditure till the end of March and the financial year, Mr. Asquith asked the House of Commons for two hundred and fifty millions, roughly, estimated, to cover the cost of the ensuing hundred days till July. Liberal, Unionist, Socialist, and Nationalist cheerfully responded to the appeal, and it was Mr. Tim Healy who, blazing with indignation and afire with patriotism, savagely denounced the few pettifogging critics, all Radicals of the baser sort, who ventured to air puny grievances. Mr. Asquith told us that the war is costing the Empire about two millions a day, and he was. cheered to the echo when, after declaring that the Government, and the people were more firmly determined now than ever to see it through, and after paying a .worthy tribute to the magnificent response of the Dominions and the valor and high conduct already displayed by their troops, assured the House of Commons that "we have never been more confident than we are to-day 'in the power as well as the will of the Allies to achieve a durable victory." NO SUPPLIES FOR GERMANY. There were cheers on cheers while Ml'. Asquith spoke of the unbroken spirit of Belgium, the undefeated heroism of indomitable Scrvia, the tenacity and resource of our two great Allies, Russia and France, "who hold their far-flung lines and will continue to hold them till the hour comes for an irresistible advance." Two measures have been taken by the Government which have been the occasion of profound satisfaction and great relief to everybody in this country who understands the situation. On behalf of the Allies, Mr. Asquith announced that henceforth no supplies of any sort would be allowed to leave; or enter (.levmany by sea, and that steps would be taken to deal with any repetition of our industrial troubles promptly and drastically. Interested parties are endeavoring to create alarm as to the American attitude. But America is not going to be allowed to make her trading interests an excuse for wrecking the future of the Old World. President Wilson solemnly rebuked Germany for her open declaration of piratage, but the sinking of two American sliaps has not he.t America in a blaze. The Americans will have to reconcile themselves to the inevitable when the Allies proclaim a lawful blockade, for that is in effect what the new naval measures amount to. The fact that the s.s. Dacia has been, taken, not by a British cruiser, but by the French, may remind Americans thati they are in the presence of a world war, and that the Allies comprise the British Empire, the French Republic, the Russian Empire, and' Japan. It is to the interest of all neutral nations that this war should end quickly. The steps taken by the Allies are the surest means to secure that end.

THE WORKING MAN. It would be a pity if there were any i misunderstanding about the attitude and spirit of the vast mapority of the sturdy plebeians in the United Kingdom. Intense indignation and bitter resentment have already been aroused by the actions of a few workmen who have defied their trade union representatives and held, up the supplies of war on which not only their own mates in khaki depend, but our Allies as well. The truth is that some of our workmen need a little chastening. When the war broke out the engineers were in a piteous fright. They foresaw lean times ahead, and petitioned to have shortened hours, so as to temper the wind of war to the shorn lamb. "But when they found it was a boom time they forgot their fears, and began to be querulous. All sorts of petty red-tape regulations were invoked, * miserable little trade jealousies sprang up as to which particular brand of workmen should do what particular sort of work, and, while working Saturdays and Sundays at high overtime rates, they rested in mid-week to drink away the proceeds. Now, this sort of things calls aloud to heaven for help. The trade, union leaders have done their best to bring the. recalcitrants to lieel. The Government pow sets up machinery to settle compulsorily during the. war all disputes, and (lifers, in cases of proved necessity. to meet just demands for higher wages. P.ut there is to be no more .holding up of shells and waggons, because, where there are not enough turners to do what is supposed to be a turner's job. other artisans equally competent are called in, and public opinion is right behind the fiovcrnmi'iit in this step. A London paper lias a vivid little poem, in which one, Angus MeNab; a Glydeside striker, dreams that he sees thp Camerons hard pressed at the front, and dying like men where they stand, • while the British gunners siiout for " shells." "He.

Xab wakes up in the puts on his coat and hat, and makes for the workshop. " He thinks of the wasted days gone by, "And he hears the challenging striker's

cry: ' Whaur are ye gaein', ye dirty scab?' 'To work . . . for ma country,' says Angus McNab." POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS. Mr. Asquith's confidence is not without, a solid foundation of iact to build upon. I hear that there is reliable information to;show that, though the Germans may manage well enough to ward off starvation by severe economies and prudent organisation, they aro running very short of ammunition of ii'l sorts. Some of ' the unexploded shells picked up in Yarmouth and Scarborough have been found on inves» ligntioa; to the great astonishment of 'our experts to have marbles mixed '.with the lead shrapnel bullets. The same thing has been reported from France.- Before long the enemy may be reduced to rather desperate siraits for lack of ammunition reserves. Because immense reserves of ammunition are a necessity. It is one of the tilings for which the Allies are still waiting in the west and which has impeded the Russians in the east. It is also evident now that the Gennan new ■formations of hastily trained troops are very defective from the military point | of view. Most of the formidable Gorman army, the mighty instrument that almost put the thumbscrews on Europe last September, is now liors de combat. Germany's attempt to deal Russia a knock-down blow so as to turn all her forces against the Allies in the- west in anticipation of their coming onslaught in the spring has failed, and it has been a costly failure for von Hindenburg. The Russian strategy has so far been marvellously .good. The Germans have been encouraged to come out into the open in the pursuit of disastrous .offensive strokes. Every time they have been lured away -from their railways the Russians have crushed them with remarkable ease. In the Carpathians the Austro-German offensive is wearing itself out. The Russians still hold the important passes threatening the plains of Hungary, on which the enemy depends so much for food. Once the brilliant feat now being so successfully attempted at the. Dardanelles has been accomplished. Russia, will receive military supples I that will enable her to advance without misgivings. ,

■ The situation is equally gsod in the west, where the Allies securely hold the upper hand, and confidently await the coming denouement. Hut sound students of international politics are more than ever convinced that with the spring will come new developments. Thf, Balkan States are almost bound to take action. It is an open secret that tho Servians, who made so astonishing* a recovery so suddenly when the Austrians seemed to have them down and out, were at that time short of ammunition. They were enabled to drive the Austrians back the moment they got fresh and adequate supplies. Those supplies came froip Greece, who sent over the border every round of ammunition they could spare. Constantinople is going to be the centre of some exciting history-making. lam told that Roumania is certain to come in, as well as Greece, and that Italy will soon be on tho move too. Many predictions to this effect have been falsified, but preparations are now afoot, the meaning of which is unmistakable, and no nation would willingly begin a war in the winter: Tt is said that Italy was, strangely unprepared for war. Perhaps her pal-tilers in the Triple Alliance did not realise the inadequacy of her equipment, which included no more than half a million rifles of modern utility that did not use black powder. There will be some Gordian knots of diplomacy to be cut by the statesmen of Europe when the map comes to be remodelled, but the essential thing is to destroy for ever the red peril of the scientific Hun.