WHAT IT MEANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1916, Page 3

WHAT IT MEANS.

To the' Editor. •Sir, —Tn these limes, and more especially at . the present tilue, when so mueli dispiriting news is coining forward, it appears to me that any event or item of news :alculated to cheer and inspirit us should receive more than a passing mention or record. Such news, to my mind, came over the cables a day or two ago. I refer to Mr. Asquith's statement made in the House of Commons, a statement which, published to the world at large, gives the present exact military position of Great Britain; a statement which I have heard variously described as "foolish," "extraordinary,'' "astounding/ 1 etc. To few does it seemingly convey the message that, to my mind, it was intended to convey, namely, of comfort and security to ourselves and our Allies, and of menace and doom to our foes. It may be relied upon that tliis publication by Mr. Asqnith of the developed strength of the British Armv and Navy was no "inadvertent," "foolish" or "extraordinary" speech. It was a deliberate and studied statement of immense portent, made wjtli the agreement and sanction of the House of Commons in secret session. This is obvious. It was constituted for, and was to convey to, the world at large a sense of England's power and might, and, in addition to her enemies, a final deiiance and menace, backed now, after twenty months of war-time efl'ort, by four mii-

lions of British, bayonets, and a great Navy. Such power and might were undreamt of when, on August 4, 7014, England threw down her gauntlet in defence of Belgium and the liberty of the world, backed as she then was by no more than her great Navy, and, cay, a million and a-lialf of fighting men (black and white). A "thin red line," indeed, with which to defy the power and might of Germany and with which to defend lior "far-dung Imttle line!" On the of this statement by the Premier comes conscription, a resolution of British methods and ideals, of which but a few days back the mere mention was sufficient to convulse British politics and people, but which is now acccptei' practically without demur by the political world and all concerned. And why? Because it has ahead;,-, in -secret session, received the sanction of the Commons, »nd because it is recognised as providing the last dreadful-menace and message of doom to Germany, the last convincing proof that England in this war at least was putting forth her whole strength, failure to do which was from the first the only hope end doubt of her cnomiej. In short, conscription is but the last net in England's great task, the last necessary word to secure beyond all doubt the final overthrow and crushing of Germany. It comes only when the great task of proving England's manhood and. strength by voluntarism has been accomplished. That it will be largely made use of I doubt. It will secure that all who should have volunteered shall serve. It provides for the maintenance up to strength of the great volunteer army. It comforts and heartens our Allies, anil, as I have said, conveys to our enemies a sense of doom, in that it brings home the fact that, strong in arms as England is to-day, she shall, if required, be stronger still. We should now realise, I think, how the great .Premier has worked with hi 3 great colleagues at the creation of a fighting machine equal to, or greater than, that of any Continental Power at the commencement of the war —worked during a period of war of terrible stress, and amid'the wavering and doubt of friends, and the abiue of opponents, and finally, by a stroke of genius, taken the political world of England into his confidence, and, in simple words, without flourish of trumpets of any sort, convoyed to the world at large the staggering message of the accomplishment of that task. Easy, surely, having regard to all this, to forgive minor errors of judgment, such as have been made, and for our own comfort and heartening to concentrate on one fact, that the Premier believes, and the Commons believe, that the larger part of the great task has been done, and that our friends, ourselves, and, above all, our enemies, should know it.—T am etc., IMMIGRANT. Lepperton, May 7.