MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE
[Speech at a great recruiting meeting held in the Albert Hall, Nottingham, on September 21, 1914.]
Mr. Mayor, my Lord Duke, and Gentlemen:—When it was intimated to me that I was expected to come here to-night and say a few words to you, I own that for a moment I rather doubted whether it would be possible for me to say anything to you which would really add to your knowledge, or increase your determination to stand by the Government of the country at this great crisis. All the sources of information which are open to me have been open to you, and I feel no doubt that there is not a man in this room who is not convinced that our cause is just—[Hear, hear]—and that it is our duty to put forth every effort in support of it. [Cheers.]
But, after all, these meetings, perhaps, do some good. In the first place, they establish the fact that at this moment we know no distinction of party. [Cheers.] Mr. Goldstone and I, so far as I am aware, have not met on a platform before—[laughter]—but it is surely a good thing that we should make it plain to every one in this country and out of this country that we desire at this solemn moment to present a united front to the world. These meetings, too, enable us to focus our attention upon the points which are really of most importance at this juncture. With your permission, I will say a word about one or two of them. Now, there is a question which I dare say is on the lips of many people.
A question of this kind. Here are we, the most peace-loving people in the world, with no aggressive designs, involved in this colossal struggle, sure to cost us a tremendous price in treasure, in that which we value more than treasure—the lives of our fellow citizens—and in the dislocation of our commerce. How came we to have been entangled in this dispute, which, as we all know, arose out of a quarrel in a remote South-East European State, with which we have
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