The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3999, 4 August 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1915.

Tim public of this town and district in common with their co-citizens in all other portions of our great Empire, arc invited 10-dav to meet with the object of passing a resolution affirming their iniiexihle determination to continue to assist to the fullest extent in their power in bringing the great struggle which lias line been proceeding tor twelve months to a speedy and successful coiiclusi.on. ft is certainly a most, notable anniversary and the response, we fed, will be in every sense worthy of the great occasion. To-day, after oxnctiy one year of hostilities on a scale never before equalled in ali history, the people ot Groat Britain, logetlier with the peoples ol In r Allies, must —if such could he possible—be more than over convinced of the righteousness of. their great cause, which, in brief, is the iicee.-siiy f a - ensuring that 1 iglit and not mig.’it shall hold sway tliroughouf the world. It is now oulv too plain oven to the people’ of neutral countries tlnu Germany had long been preparing for a struggle as a sequel to which she hoped to emerge the dominant world junior. What is equally evident, also, is that, although posing as the most cultured of all nations, she had been planning to over-ride every rule of civilised warfare, if necessary, in order to gain her own seliish ends. As to how the struggle has gone so far n,e need not recapitulate at any length seeing that the record of the most signal events is still fresh in the minds of all. There are, we iec !, but f hree notes which need be struck on the present occasion. in the first place there will be a feeling of genuine satisfaction and thankfulness on account of the truly wonderful results which our own Empire and her Allies have already achieved in the face of such heavy initial diflicuUies and in the face of such unsportsmanlike foos. Well may 'the peoples of our Allies and the peoples of neutral countries as well as the people of our great Empire say: “Thank God for the British Navy!’’ To-day, as is well-known, neither German, Austrian nor Turkish war vessels—with the exception of their submarines, which are permitted only very restricted scope—would any more dare sail out on the High Seas than would one of their merchant shipping vessels. On the land, too, the forces of Britain and her Allies have {lone simply marvellous work in holding so much in cheek, until they themselves are in a position to organise their resources, the best equipped military nation—together with her Allies—that the world has ever known. Next- in order is the necessity for emphasising that one and all should fully realise, if such he not already the case, the real gravity of the task before Britain and her Allies. The Huns and their Allies will not easily be conquered. It is, indeed, impossible to estimate how great may be the sacrifices that may require to he made before they are defeated and their defeat must amount to nothing-short of a complete crushing. Happily Britain and her Allies are not lacking in any of the essentials which must be possessed in order to ensure for them an ultimate glorious triumph. What delay has taken place in the organisation of their huge military resources has but demonstrated to the rest of the world that aggressive action on their part had never even been dreamt of. In their great period of trial our Empire and its Allies are, therefore, strengthened by the fact that they, have behind them in their righteous cause the moral support of practically the whole of the peoples of the neutral nations. But the time has now been readied when the Huns and their Allies will assuredly strike harder and Britain and her Allies must he prepared not only to meet the blow but to strike still harder in return. “Are each and every one of us doing- everything possible to assist tlip cause for which we are striving?” That is the question which will naturally be echoed ami' re-eclioed throughout the Empire at the present juncture. Wo think it .cannot be gainsaid that, although ‘ John Bull, lias the reputation

“Declaration Day.”

of -moving somewhat slowly, he is, on tin’s occasion, now very wide awake as to tho magnitude of the task that is before him and his Allies. This leads us, thori, ut> to what we regard as tho most important note that can be struck to-day—and that is the note of confidence as to the result of Llio struggle. Perhaps we could not do better than to quote, in this regard, the fine peroration which Mr Winston Churchill made in connection with bis recent splendid address at Dundee: “The valor of our soldiers,” remarked Mr' Churchill, “has won general respect in all the armies of Europe. The word of ’Britain is now taken as the symbol and the hallmark of international good' faith. The loyalty of India, and of our Dominions and Colonies vindicates our civilisation; the bate of our eii-. iuies proves the effectiveness of one warfare. “Yet I would advise you from time to time, when you are anxious or depressed, to dwell a little on the color and light of the terrible war pictures now presented to the eye. •See Australia and New Zealand smiting down, in the last and finest crusade, the combined barbarisms of Prussia and of Turkey. Sec Clem nil Louis Botha bolding South Africa for the King. See Canada defending to the death the last few mill's of shattered Belgium. Look further, and across the smoke and carnage of the immense battlefield, look forward to the vision of a united British Empire on the calm background of a liberated Europe. “Tlh'h turn again to your task. Look forward, do not look back, gather afresh in heart and spirit all the energies of your being, bend anew together for a supreme effort. The times are harsh, the need is dire, the agon;.- of Europe is infinite : hut. the might of Britain, hurled united into tho conflict, will he irresistible. We are the grand reserve of the Allied cause, and that grand reserve must now march forward its one men.”