For this we must be prepared.
We must make up our minds that serious sacrifices have to be endured.
In no other way can the war be speedily prosecuted to a successful issue.
The alternative to a vigorous and costly offensive is the adoption of a slow, remorseless process of exhaustion.
But this would in the long run probably involve a greater sacrifice of life than will be entailed by the hard and bloody fighting which the Empire is warned to expect.
It is significant that a general recognition at Home of the certainty that there will be heavy casualties during the spring has led to a revival of the recruiting movement, which, we have been informed, is likely to assume considerable importance.
Two of the factors upon which the success of the Allies' operations depends are the supply, ever available, of adequate forces of men and the supply of adequate artillery and ammunition.
Sir John French, it will be seen, emphasises this in his latest official despatch.
If the requirements of the army in respect of men and munitions are not satisfactorily met, the war will, he says, be a prolonged one.
As regards the supply of men, this means that, while the voluntary system of enlistment has produced in the United Kingdom results that have been described as remarkable, the system must be subjected to an ever greater test of its efficiency than that which has been applied to it.
• It is apparent that there is a certain measure of apprehensiveness at Home respecting the prospect that there may be a sufficiency of recruiting under the voluntary system.
The statement that many members of the Liberal Party favour the introduction of conscription in order that the present requirements of the country may be met, and that it is believed that others will acquiesce under pressure in such a measure, is distinctly suggestive in this connection.
The discussion on the matter will probably have the effect of directing attention to a pronouncement that was recently made by Lord Haldane, the Lord Chancellor, who, without reservation, laid it down, in effect, that the Government can exact military service from the people of this nation.
''By the common law of this country,'' the Lord Chancellor said, ''it is the duty of every subject of the realm to assist the Sovereign in repelling the invasion of its shores and in defence of the realm. That is the duty which rests on no statute, but is inherent in our Constitution. Compulsory service is not foreign to the Constitution of the country, and in a great national emergency it might be necessary to resort to it.''
• It has been said that, in proportion to the population, Oamaru, and the district round about it, has a greater number of motor cars in use than any other town in the South Island (says the North Otago Times).
This statement appeared to be borne out at the Tokarahi Estate sale on Thursday, when it was estimated that upwards of 200 motor cars were drawn up, occupying an area extending over some acres. - ODT, 29.3.1915.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
