The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1916. SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1916. SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR.

To-day marks the second anniversary of the declaration of-war against the Central Powers. We can hardly realise that for two_ years the majority of the gresft nations have been in the throes^ of the most gigantic armed struggle that has ever taken place, and yet the end is not in sight. It is usual on all important anniversaries to make a nioic or less searching retrospect, with a view to ascertaining how matters stand, but in the case of the present war it would he impossible to :io more than take a general glance, our thoughts, hopes and aims being concentrated on the future, with its promise of victory and just punishment of the authors of those terrible crimes that have been committed by the enemy. The history of the war, its cause and progress, cannot but be fresh in the minds of the people of the British Empire. There have been blunders that we regret in connection with some of the campaigns, but these count for little in face of the countless deeds of heroism, the magnificent daring and fortitude, and the exemplary patience exhibited by Britain and her allies. When the history of the war is written, one of the most outstanding features will be the marvellous effect it produced on the British Empire, as exhibited in the fervid and sustained outburst of patriotism and loyalty. The cause of the Motherland was at once embraced as ti'.at of the Dominions. This may be re-;:.rdcd as what might naturally luve been expected—the gathering of the robust children around the Mother in her

time of need. But when we consider India, the matter is very different. Germany. in fact, relied upon India as one of the powerful factor.-, on licr side, for apart from its threatened invasion, there win the pos.-ibility (which Itermany looked upon as a probability) that the teeming; millions of India, and the lesser people of South Africa, would take advantage oi the opportunity to strike for independence and sever the ties with Britain, flow thoroughly Germany was disillusioned is well known. There lias never been demonstrated so conclusive a testimony to the able and wise administration adopted by the Imperial authorities, as the spontaneous loyalty and practical patriotism so generously and whole-heartedly given by India and South Africa. It was almost worth undergoing the horrors and sacrifices entailed by the war, in order to bo assured of the real strength of that world-wide union comprised in the Anglo-Indian-South Africa Empire, with its Dominions and Colonies, all knit together and acting with one purpose, to secure one result—the triumph of right over might, and the freedom of the smaller nations. We are entering on the third year of this crusade, and it is - encouraging to find that rays of light are penetrating through the dense black war clouds. It lias been, and will be, a struggle in which artillery and high explosives must be the decisive factors. We may well look upon to-day's anniversary with pardonable pride, mingled with excusable sadness. Whatever may have been the Empire's faults and neglects, her sons can have no cause for self reproach. Their hands are clean, while those of the enemy are reeking, with crimes that call loudly for punishment. It has been wisely decided that to-day. throughout the Kmpire, there shall be expressions by the various peoples of their inflexible determination to persist in the cause to which they are committed, untH those objects for which it stands have been achieved. It may be i thought by some that the gatherings of ■citizens in the various districts of the Dominion to-day are a mere formality, but that is not so. The method to be adopted is the only one whereby the people can testify their determination to earry the war to a successful conclusion. Prcbably it will be those who have made the most and the greatest sacrifices that will be the most eager to embrace this opportunity of showing their intense determination to secure victory. We cannot all be in the firing line or actually helping at the front, but each one of the men, women, and children remaining at home can do good service in many ways, and the outward expression of inflexible determination carries with it the inward obligation to help in every ipossible way. To-day there will be throughout the Empire a general expression of resolve to see this war through: in the sacred cause of liberty and justice. Every day of this prolonged 1 struggle has brought fresh testimony to the imperative' need for destroying the human pestilence that Germany has bred. Let all who can, therefore, take jiart.ii' the meetings to day, and show by their presence and voice that nothing but complete victory can end tliis war,'and that it must go on until the pestilence is stamped out. For us there is only one end possible, and it is fitting that to-day we all join in making this flour to our enemies.