The great crusade

Preface

These speeches are not republished on my own initiative, but in response to many requests. If, however, my speeches in book form can help to bring home to their readers the gravity of the crisis in which the democracies of the world are placed, I am glad that they should be republished even though I have not had time to re-read or revise them in any way. I have never believed that the war would be a short war, or that in some mysterious way, by negotiation or compromise, we could free Europe from the malignant military autocracy which is endeavouring to trample it into submission and moral death. I have always believed that the machine which has established its despotic control over the minds and bodies of its own victims, and then organised and driven them to slaughter in order to extend that control over the rest of the world, would only be destroyed if the free peoples proved themselves strong and steadfast enough to defeat its attempt in arms. The events of the last few weeks must have made it plain to every thinking man that there is no longer room for compromise between the ideals for which we and our enemies stand. Democracy and autocracy have come to death vi PREFACE

gripa. One or the other will fasten its hold on mankind. It is a clear realisation of this issue which will be our strength in the trials still to come.

I have no doubt that freedom will triumph. But whether it will triumph soon or late, after a final supreme effort in the next few months or a long [drawn agony, depends on the vigour and self-sacrifice with which the children of liberty, and especially those behind the lines, dedicate themselves to the struggle. There is no time for ease or delay or debate. The call is imperative. The choice is clear. It is for each citizen to do his part.

D. Lloyd Geoege.

Contents

Minister of Munitions,

Munitions: Progress of British Production

A Word to the Munition Workers