The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-23

your leave TO say n word about a great
friend OF mine. well known to you In
Scotland and passed now out " public
life. Lord Haldane. I deeply regret
that he has ceased to I'LL the great Office
which he adorned. Nc more sincere
patriot has served the Crown. There
never has been an occasion in the Cabi-
nets OF the last seven years In which I
have sat that as the need arose Lord
Haldane has not from his great knowl-
edge OF the German governmental sys-
tenn warned us to be on our guard
against the dangerous side Of their ma
ture. There never has been n time when
he has not supported every provision for
the defence OF this country. military or
naval.
He II was who entered into those in,ri-
cate arrangements with France which
enabled our army to he so swiftly
brought to the scene Of action. lust In
the nick Of time. He II was who pre-
pared that expeditlonary army In tho
face OF much opposition and In day.
when every penny was hard to get. He
Il was who organized the territorial
force which has 40 splendidly INDICATED
itself and Its founder. INC upon whose
gallantry. discipline and numbers the
weight and even the success Of our mill
tary operations hitherto have notably II
not mainly depended.
Against Conscription.
And having got so far. being now on
the high road to 3,0oo.o 900 Of men In
the service Of the Crown as volunteers
having rome SO far. to cast away this
great moral advantage which adds to
me honor OF our armies and to the
dignity Of our State. simply for the
purpose Of hustling into the firing line
a comparatively small proportion OF
persons. themselves not perhaps the best
suited TO the Job. who even when taken
could not be for man months equipped
to do that after all tina has hap
pened would, II seems TO me. be un-
wise in the extreme.
But service at home, service for home
defence and to keep our fghting men
abroad properly supplied and maintained,
that seems to me to stand on a different
footing. Remember. we are confronted
with a foe who would without the
slightest scruple extirpate us. man.
woman and child. by any method open
to him II he had the opportunity. We
are fighting a foe who would not hest
tate one moment to obliterate every
single sou In this great country this
afternoon II II could be dom by press
ing a button. We are fighting a foe
who would think as little OF that as a
gardener would think OF smoking out
a wasps' nest. Let us recognize that
this is a new fact in the history OF
the world. or rather II is an old fact.
sprung up out OF the horrible abysses
OF the past. We are fighting with a foe
OF that kind INC We are locked In mortal
struggle. To fall IL to be enslaved or.
at the very best. 10 he destroyed.
Not to win ~decisively Is 10 have all
this misery over again after an uneasy
truce. and TO fight It over again. prob
ably under less favorable circumstances
and perhaps alone. Why. after what has
happened there could never be peace In
Europe until the German military system
has been so shattered and torn and
trampled that II Is unable to resist by
any means the will and decision Of the
conQuering Power. For this purpose
our whole nation must be organized
must be socialized. II o like the word
must be organized and modified. and
I hin there must be asserted In some
' form or other-I do not attempt to pre-.
, Judge that-but I think there must be
asserted in some form or other by the
Government a reserve power to give the
necessary control and organizing author
ity and 10 make sure hat every one OF
every rank and condition. men and
women as we'll. do in their WI way
their fair share. Democratic principles
enjoin II, social justice requires, national
safety demands II. and ! shall take back
TO London. with your authority, the mes
sage: Let the Government act accord
ing to its faith