hand of justice gradually, slowly, but certainly grasping the victory.

"Watchman, what of the night?" It is dark, and the cries of rage and anguish rend the air, but the golden morrow is at hand, when the valiant youth of Britain will return from the stricken fields of Europe, where their heroism has proclaimed to the world that justice is the best sustenance for valour, and that their valour has won a lasting triumph for justice.

IV.

A HOLY WAR.

EXTRACTS FROM A SPEECH DELIVERED AT BANGOR, FEBRUARY

28TH, 1915.

If Germany Were to Win.

WHAT does it mean were Germany to win? It means world-power for the worst elements in Germany, not for Germany. The Germans are an intelligent race, they are undoubtedly a cultivated race, they are a race of men who have been responsible for great ideas in this world. But this would mean the dominance of the worst elements amongst them. If you think I am exaggerating, just read for the moment extracts from the articles in the newspapers which are in the ascendancy now in Germany about the settlement which they expect after this war. I am sorry to say I am stating nothing but the bare brutal truth. I do not say that the Kaiser will sit on the Throne of England if he should win. I do not say that he will impose his laws and his language on this country as did William the Conqueror. I do not say that you will hear the noisy tramp of the goose step in the cities of the Empire. I do not say that Death's Head Hussars will be patrolling our highways. I do not say that a visitor, let us say, to Aberdaron will have to ask a Pomeranian policeman the best way to Hell's Mouth. That is not what I mean. What I mean

is that if Germany were triumphant in this war she would practically be the dictator of the international policy of the world. Her spirit would be in the ascendant. Her doctrines would be in the ascendant; by the sheer power of her will she would bend the minds of men in her own fashion. Germanism in its later and worst form would be the inspiriting thought and philosophy of the hour.

France after 1870.

Do you remember what happened to France after 1870? The German armies left France, but all the same for years after that, and while France was building up her army, she stood in cowering terror of this monster. Even after her great army was built France was oppressed with a constant anxiety as to what might happen. Germany dismissed her ministers. Had it not been for the intervention of Queen Victoria in 1874, the French army would never have been allowed to be reconstructed, and France would simply have been the humble slave of Germany to this hour. What a condition for a country! And now France is fighting, not so much to recover her lost provinces; she is fighting to recover her self-respect and her national independence; she is fighting to shake off this nightmare that has been on her soul for over a generation—a France with Germany constantly meddling, bullying, and interfering. And that is what would happen if Russia were trampled upon, France broken, Britain disarmed. We should be left without any means to defend ourselves. We might have a navy that would enable us, perhaps, to resent an insult from Nicaragua, we might have just enough troops, perhaps, to confront the Mad Mullah-I mean the African specimen.

Where would the chivalrous country be to step in to

protect us as we protected France in 1874? America? If countries like Russia and France, with their huge armies, and the most powerful navy in the world could not face this terrible military machine, how can America step in? It would be more than America could do to defend her own interests on her own continent if Germany is triumphant. Ah! but what manner of Germany would we be subordinate to? There has been a struggle going on in Germany for over thirty years between its best and its worst elements. It is like that great struggle which is depicted in one of Wagner's great operas between the good and the evil spirit for the possession of the man's soul. That great struggle has been going on in Germany for thirty or forty years. At each successive General Election the better elements seemed to be getting the upper hand, and I do not mind saying I was one of those who believed they were going to win. I thought they were going to snatch the soul of Germany it is worth saving; it is a great, powerful soul, and I thought they were going to save it. Then a dead military caste said, "We will have none of this," and they plunged Europe into seas of blood. Hope was again shattered.

"Harnessed to the Chariot of Destruction."

Those worst elements will emerge triumphant out of this war if Germany wins. We shall be vassals, not to the best Germany, not to the Germany of sweet songs and inspiring, noble thought-not to the Germany of science consecrated to the service of man, not to the Germany of a virile philosophy that helped to break the shackles of superstition in Europe not to that Germany, but to a Germany that talked through the raucous voice of Krupp's artillery, a Germany that has

harnessed science to the chariot of destruction and of death, the Germany of a philosophy of force, violence, and brutality, a Germany that would quench every spark of freedom either in its own land or any other in rivers of blood. I make no apology on a day consecrated to the greatest sacrifice for coming here to preach a holy war against that.

Some can

War is a time of sacrifice and of service. render one service, some another, some here and some there. Some can render great assistance, others but little. There is not one who cannot help in some measure, even if it be only by enduring cheerfully his share of the discomfort.

In the old Welsh legends there is a story of a man who was given a series of what appeared to be impossible tasks to perform ere he could reach the desires of his heart. Amongst other things he had to do was to recover every grain of seed that had been sown in a large field and bring it all in without one missing by sunset. He came to an anthill and won all the hearts and enlisted the sympathies of the industrious little people. They spread over the field, and before sundown the seed was all in except one grain, and as the sun was setting over the western skies a lame ant hobbled along with that grain also. Some of us have youth and vigour and suppleness of limb; some of us are crippled with years or infirmities, and we are at best but lame ants. But we can all limp along with some share of our country's burden, and thus help her in this terrible hour to win the desire of her heart.