this supreme crisis in our national
affairs. There have been wars in the past in regard to which there has
been among us diversity of opinion, uneasiness as to the wisdom of our
diplomacy, anxiety as to the expediency of our policy, doubts as to the
essential righteousness of our cause.

Unity of the Empire.

That, my Lord Mayor, as you said, is not the case today. [Cheers.] Even
in the memorable struggle which we waged a hundred years ago against the
domination of Napoleon there was always a minority, respectable not
merely in number, but in the sincerity and in the eminence of its
adherents, which broke the front of our national unity. Again I say that
is not the case today. We feel as a nation--or rather I ought to say,
speaking here and looking round upon our vast empire in every quarter of
the globe--as a family of nations, [prolonged cheers,] without
distinction of creed or party, of race or climate, class or section,
that we are united in defending principles and in maintaining interests
which are vital, not only to the British Empire, but to all that is
worth having in our common civilization, [cheers,] and all that is worth
hoping for in the future progress of mankind. [Loud cheers.] What better
or higher cause, my Lord Mayor, whether we succeed or fail? [Cries of
"No failure."] We are going not to fail, but to succeed. [Enthusiastic
cheers.] What higher cause than to arouse and enlist the best qualities
of a free people, than to be engaged at one and the same time in the
vindication of international good faith, in the protection of the weak
against the violence of the strong, [cheers,] and in the assertion of
the best ideals of all the free communities in all the ages of time and
in every part of the world against the encroachments of those who
believe and who preach and who practice the religion of force? It is
not--I am sure you will agree with me--it is not necessary to
demonstrate once more that of this war Germany is the real and the
responsible author. [Cheers.] The proofs are patent, manifold and
overwhelming. [Cheers.] Indeed, on the part of Germany herself we get
upon this point, if denial at all, a denial only of the faintest and the
most formal kind. For a generation past she has been preparing the
ground, equipping herself, both by land and sea, fortifying herself with
alliances, and, what is perhaps even more important, teaching her youth
to seek and to pursue as the first and the most important