Читать книгу The Times Great War Letters: Correspondence during the First World War - James Owen - Страница 58

I say “the only way,” and for the following reasons:—

1. If the men at the front know that they have got the nation at their back, there need be no fear lest they will ever lose one iota of the glorious spirit which, in spite of lack of guns, has so far kept the enemy from our gate. They will wait, and wait gladly, for what they so sorely need, if only they know that at last this business is being taken seriously in hand.

2. It is the only way, for only so can our Commanders-in-Chief at sea and in the field lay their plans of campaign with any certainty that they will be able to carry them out. As it is now, it is simply a matter of fighting as best you can from hand to mouth. When the Government knows that they can call on all the resources of men and material, then, and then only, can they lay their plans for certain production at definite times. Only so can they be able to tell the Commanders-in-Chief what they can expect, and when.

3. It is the only way, because it is the height of impudent folly to imagine that we are as a nation so miraculously endowed by the Almighty that we, and we alone of all nations in the world, can prosecute such a war as we are engaged in to a successful issue without calling on the whole resources of the nation. At present we are treating it as a sort of “side show” to the real business of life, which must be kept going “as usual.” Besides, it is not playing the game by our Allies. They are keeping nothing back; we are.

4. It is the only way, because only so will the nation get the greatest efficiency out of its individual members. As it is, many men are now serving at the front who ought to be serving at home, and vice versa. The present method of “go or not as you please” is utterly haphazard and unbusinesslike, and therefore hopelessly inadequate.

5. It is the only way, because an essential factor in the successful prosecution of the war is that the right spirit should animate not only the men at the front, but the nation at their back. It is only the right spirit which will be able to bear the strain and see this thing through to a finish.

To-day the right spirit is lacking because the conscience of the nation is uneasy. As individuals we do not know whether we are doing the right thing or not—whether we should go on with our ordinary work or offer to go and fight. We are afraid of indulging in wholly innocent amusement. We are afraid even of having a really healthy laugh—somehow we feel it would not be right. People are getting gloomy and depressed, not because they have any fear as to the ultimate end of the war (they do not know enough about the real situation for that), not because they are not ready to face, and face gallantly, the sacrifices which war has laid upon them to make, but because their consciences are not at rest. You cannot have the right spirit if your conscience is uneasy.