whole of the people rallying to the colours—you must make it clear to every individual soldier that when he goes into action he is drawing his sword for the right. [Cheers.]
The days have gone by when the rulers of the people could issue a proclamation and say, "We have declared war upon such and such a country; it is your duty to fight, to subscribe." Those days are gone. ["Hear, hear," and applause.] The people want to know the reason why, if they are to make sacrifices, and, fortunately, the more thorough their acquaintance with the causes of this war the greater will be the sacrifices they will be prepared to make. [Applause.] After all, conviction is essential to confidence. Confidence is nine parts of courage, and if we want valiant troops we must have men rallying to the flag imbued with the idea that they are going forth in a holy war to do battle for justice and right. [Applause.] They have to face wounds, dismay, death. More, they have got something which wears down the nerves and endurance of troops even more—the wet, cold nights in the trenches night after night, day after day; and their courage must be sustained by a sense that they are fighting for a righteous cause. [Applause.] You must not have them asking at any stage: "What on earth am I enduring all this for?" The next thing they would say would be: "Why on earth should I stand it any longer?"
So, when we enlist our men we must enlist them as the result of a campaign that puts conviction first of all into the heart of every soldier. [Applause.]
You gain three objects in doing so. First of all, you get more recruits; in the second place you get better recruits; and in the third place you would thus make up in morale for the army what it lacks in training. [Hear, hear.] Now, therefore, I hope that one of the very first things the committee will take in hand will be the dissemination of facts with regard to the origin of the war, and also with regard to the barbarous way in which it has been waged by the German Empire. [Applause.] I have seen a good many thousands of the new recruits, and I am very struck by the class of men who continue to come in. I think we are getting the best of the young manhood of the nation. [Applause.] We have got a class of men that is not ordinarily drawn upon for recruiting. I am not saying a word about the British Army as it is. Who can—[cheers]—after the magnificent way in which they have maintained the honour and glory of their native land—[loud ap-
