New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?Various
History
New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?
Various
World War, 1914-1918
Bonar Law's Support.
_Mr. Bonar Law_--The right honorable gentleman in the statement he has
just made has left me nothing to say except to express our hearty
support of all the measures which the Government are taking in this
crisis. From the point of view of the Government and of this House we
welcome the putting down of this vote as showing that both the
Government and the House of Commons are determined, whatever the cost,
whatever the sacrifice, to see this thing through. [Cheers.] I agree
entirely with the words which I heard the Prime Minister use in another
place the other day, that in what has taken place so far we have every
ground for encouragement and every reason for pride in what is being
done by our troops. I agree entirely with what the Prime Minister has
said about the action of our soldiers on the field of battle. It does
not surprise us. We knew that the old spirit was there still. But I
think it has to some extent at least surprised our enemies. But while we
have reason to be gratified by the action which the Government has taken
and which this House has supported them in taking, I think as a nation
we have quite as much reason to be proud of the spirit which is shown by
our countrymen in rushing to the standard as we have even in what has
been done by our soldiers on the field of battle. I never sympathized
with--I always resented--the view expressed at one time that our
citizens were holding back. There was no justification for it. [Cheers.]
At the outset they did not realize what it meant, but the moment they
did realize it they have shown that they are prepared to do their share
to fight the battles of their country. I am not going to say anything
about the difficulties in connection with recruiting this great force to
which the Prime Minister has referred. No one could have doubted that
difficulties of that kind would arise and that hardships would occur.
Criticism, I am sure, is not deprecated by the right honorable
gentleman, and ought not to be, if it is framed entirely with this
view--to make sure that everything that can be done is being done to
minimize the hardships and difficulties with which the authorities were
confronted. As the Prime Minister said, the machine was not framed to
deal with an emergency like this. No one could expect it to deal with it
smoothly. But we have a right to expect that the difficulties are
understood at the War Office, and we have the right also to ask that
since they cannot be met by the central machine, every effort should be
made in the direction of devolution, and that the difficulties shall be
met where they locally arise. I am sure it is a satisfaction to the
House, as it was to me, to find that before the discussion arose
yesterday not only had Lord Kitchener realized the difficulties, but
that he had taken every step possible to meet them, and that the step
which he did take was in the direction, which we all feel is a wise one,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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