THE TRIBUTE

Not by the valour of Belgium, nor the lightning sabre of France,

Not by the thunder of Britain's Fleet, and the Bear's unchecked advance,

Not by these fears, Lord Kaiser, tho' they shatter a tyrant's lust,

Is your heart most darkly troubled, and your soul brought down to the dust.

But by the great affirming of the lands we have knit as one;

By the love, by the passionate loyal love, of each separate freeborn son.

Canada cries, "We are coming!" and Australasia, "We come!"

And you scowl that no Boer is rising at the beat of your German drum.

And the sons of Ind bear witness—"We have grumbled, but now no more;

We have shared your plentiful righteous Peace, we will share your righteous War.

Trust us to guard your Honour, one with yours is our breath;

You have dealt us an even justice, we are yours to the gates of Death."

Here in these rain-swept islands where we fought for the things of peace,

Where we quarrelled and stormed in factions, at a stroke all factions cease;

And there in the vast dominions, more free than your Prussian lords,

The women are shouting for England and the men are drawing their swords.

Harold Begbie

By permission of the Author

EXTRACT FROM SPEECH OF LORD KITCHENER
AT THE GUILDHALL

(November 9, 1914)

The British Empire is now fighting for its existence. I want every citizen to understand this cardinal fact, for only from a clear conception of the vast importance of the issue at stake can come the great national, moral impulse without which Governments, War Ministers, and even Navies and Armies can do but little. We have enormous advantages in our resources of men and material, and in that wonderful spirit of ours which has never understood the meaning of defeat. All these are great assets, but they must be used judiciously and effectively.

I have no complaint whatever to make about the response to my appeals for men—and I may mention that the progress in the military training of those who have already enlisted is most remarkable; the country may well be proud of them—but I shall want more men, and still more, till the enemy is crushed. Armies cannot be called together as with a magician's wand, and in the process of formation there may have been discomfort and inconveniences and, in some cases, even downright suffering. I cannot promise that these conditions will wholly cease, but I can give you every assurance that they have already greatly diminished, and that everything which administrative energy can do to bring them to an end will assuredly be done. The men who come forward must remember that they are enduring for their country's sake just as their comrades are in the shell-torn trenches.

. . . . . . . . . .

Although, of course, our thoughts are constantly directed toward the troops at the front and the great task they have in hand, it is well to remember that the enemy will have to reckon with the force of the great Dominion, the vanguard of which we have already welcomed in the very fine body of men forming the contingents from Canada and Newfoundland; while from Australia, New Zealand, and other parts, are coming in quick succession soldiers to fight for the Imperial cause. And besides all these, there are training in this country over a million and a quarter of men eagerly waiting for the call to bear their part in the great struggle, and as each and every soldier takes his place in the field, he will stand forward to do his duty, and in doing that duty will sustain the credit of the British Army, which, I submit, has never stood higher than it does to-day.