“And, if I had any force to persuade, I would pray every woman in this audience to prove her love for the men belonging to her by inspiring them to do their duty to ‘King and country’; either by sending them away to join the Army, with all good blessing and trust in God for their safety—or by ‘heartening’ them up to their work in war munitions, and putting no difficulties in their path of honour. For every man that hangs back from military service, or ‘shirks’ his work refuses to help his brothers; and every woman that keeps a man away from the great fight, or encourages him to grudge and shorten his hours of labour is wronging other women’s husband and sons. In this great test of national character none of us must fail. In the war, as in work, we must all pull together, shoulder to shoulder to win the victory which must and shall be ours—
“‘If England to herself do rest but true!’”
The speaker concluded by asking her hearers to join in a hearty vote of thanks to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for his “fine, instructive, and impressive lecture.” This proposal was seconded by the Mayor of Leicester (Alderman J. North) and Sir Samuel Faire, and carried with acclamation, the vast audience being evidently moved to exceptional enthusiasm.
SPLENDID CANADA
A TRIBUTE
To you, brave Canadians, to you who have fought so magnificently for the old Mother-Country, and of whose valour and dash and spirit never too much can be said or sung, I would address Tennyson’s noble lines:—
“A People’s voice, we are a people yet
Though all men else their nobler dreams forget,