The Daily News. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1917. NO HALF WAY HOUSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1917. NO HALF WAY HOUSE.

Once again has the British Premier (Mr.Lloyd George) proved his fitness to guide the destiny of the Empire at a time of exceptional gravity. His speech at the dinner to the heads of the Air Service -was virile and inspiring, as well as be. ing jnst what Wanted to disclose the true position of the great war struggle in relation to recent developments, and particularly concerning the question of peace, the vapid ramblmgs about which need the scathing lash applied by Mr. Lloyd George. It was inevitable that reference should be made to the recent letter of Lord Lansdowne, and though the British Premier, with that loyalty to a colleague which is a fixed principle in English politics, accepted Lord Lans-, downe's explanation, the context shows' that, by implication at least, those who act m the saine way as Lord Lansdowne are .- danger to the Allies' cause. The present is no time for compromises, no time for. half-heartedness, but calls for Determination, more and more sacrifices and a squaring of the shoulders to bear -the "tardea. The crux of this great -speech 5s to be found in the assertion that there is "no half-way house." .This is what the Empire and onr Allies have to realise to the fullest extent; it is the key to the successful issue of the war. No matter what the difficulties may be they must be overcome. Never have the British been dismayed by difficulties, for it is these which bring out the sterling qualities of the race—indomitablecourage and will power to achieve the end in -view. It is against these halfway house people that Mr. Lloyd George utters a well-timed, forceful warning. They are Ifte the individual whogotmore than.half way across the ice-and then turned back because it was- too cold. There is no half-way house betweenvictory and defeat If-we are to havt, a peace worthy of the name there nwet be victory, for without that-peace.wouM,: in the eloquent words of the British Premier, be "a faree in the setting of a tragedy." Never were truer words -uttered, and never was there a greater need of them. It was a master stroke of Mr. Lloyd George to couple his powerful on the half-way house with that of unfinished tasks. These two evils go hand in hand, and it is here that the Premier hits Lord Lansdowne the hardest. "I cannot" he said, "comprehend a man who has helped to commit the nation to a career of honor, and now, before the task is nearly accom. plished, wishes to shake hands with the malefactor." No right minded man, whether he be statesman or in the humblest walks of life, can understand such a code of ethics—as false as it is feeble. To those who are in doubt as to the only possible course to pursue, we commend an earnest perusal of the alternatives so vividly portrayed by Mr. Lloyd George. We can make a sham peace, or a righteous and durable peace, but the gulf between the two can never be bridged. The easy—or sham—peace would have to be made with a "triumphant outlaw" by abasing ourselves before lawlessness and handing the world over to successful bandits. The righteous peace—the everlasting peace that will benefit future generations—can only be obtained by a victory that will rid the world of Prussian militarism and all that it stands for; and that is why, to entertain peace overtures at present would be a betrayal of the great trust reposed in the Imperial Government. The

British Premier does not shrink from .acknowledging the difficulties ahead consequent on the defection of Bussia. He exhibits neither undue oplimisiiu nor flabby pessimism. He speaks out as man to man and not as to fearsome weaklinga. It is the correctness of the note struck that 80 strongly emphasises his confidence in the race to square their shoulders and win through in spite of all obstacles, and without counting the cost. History has a way of repeating itself, and the character of the British has made the history of the Erapii'e what it is and what it will be always—the champion of freedom and the cause of the weak. That bridge which is to carry us to a new world wherein, peace reigns supreme is in the building, and though the flood waters of the rives may damage and even carry away the' scaffolding, the work must go on until aperfect and stable structure is completed, no matter how many times adverse forces injuriously affect the operations. When the structure is completed—as it surely will be—there will be a new era for the nations, but, meanwhile, there is urgent need for man-power,-for hostile forces are striving desperately to destroy the structure for all time. This means, squaring the shoulders to carry on«ihe work until America joins hands in sufficient strength to make the final stagesless difficult. Courage, confidence and {■termination will win through; the isk will not be left half finished, and the fact that there is no half-way house between victory and defeat should stir up the people of the Empire to gTeater effort in sustaining the military and maritime operations, to endure any setback with calmness, and to be confident in the ultimate triumph of justice overtyranny. We cannot be too grateful to Mr. Lloyd George for his helpful and outspoken remarks at a time when a bracing tonic was so urgently needed.