Page:Great Speeches of the War.djvu/243

 RT. HON. T. McKINNON WOOD

14
 * — We are met together in a national crisis in which we are all of one mind. One heart beats in us all. One stern resolution animates every one of us. No differences of opinion or interests are strong enough to divide us now. As in a flash the whole nation has recognized the supreme duty of unity. [Applause.] The German Emperor, with whom lay the issues of peace and war—for no one believes that Austria could have forced his hand, and Italy was ignored—has blown the war trumpet, and Englishmen, Scotsmen, Irishmen, Canadians, Australasians, South Africans, the princes and peoples of India—[applause] have leapt to arms to meet him. Not one portion of the Empire has failed, or held back, or hesitated. One voice has been heard from north and south, and east and west. [Applause.] "We stand together for British liberty. We will stand together to the end. We will stand together till the victory is won." No talk of this not being "their" war. Britain has been attacked; her children flock to her defence. It is "our" war to every one of them. [Applause.] And our Dominions are proceeding in a very businesslike fashion to deal effectively with the German colonies, besides freely sending their generous gifts and their gallant sons to help us in Europe. We have not entered lightly into this struggle, nor hastily, nor foolishly undervaluing our enemy, but gravely, with deliberation, with reluctance, as men who have counted the cost. We knew the cost would be heavy; we knew our great enemy was strong, perfectly prepared, utterly ruthless, but we had none the less the fixed assurance of ultimate victory—an assurance not lessened but confirmed by the honour which both our Army and our Navy have already won by their gallant services. For we believe that neither the new siege guns of Herr Krupp, 209