A WIPER, GREATER, MEANING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 44, 24 April 1942, Page 4

A WIPER, GREATER, MEANING

ANZAC DAY, the twenty seventh anniversary of an epic event which has grown into a national commemoration, dawns to-mcrrow. The service was likely to lose much of its significance under the stress and strain of more pressing matters born of the new struggle and of the first real threat to our own shores by hostile invader. But despite the tumult and the shouting of newest world conflict, the memory of Anzac and all it stands for still runs like a silver cord through cur life —causing us to pause in the midst of our hurried existence, and cast our minds back into calmer days when we fought war at a distance and when even the resounding cleathknell of nations scarcely roused us from the tener of our ways. Anza,c, to-day seems to belong almost to another world;, but its meaning and its message remain the same. To-day both have grown in significance, gaining further endorsement as fresh deeds of gallantry and sacrifice are ticked off on records of time. New laurels emblazoned on the battle honours of our young nationhood spelling in imperishable letters of fire, Greece, Grete, Libya. With the days of war still stretching away into the future we are given to wonder how many more fresh titles will be adided. When the last capitulation is made and the war-weary nations have draw r n aside to count their respective costs and to regulate their monuments and national days of memory, Anzac will be given a new and greater meaning. Within its observation will be listed the sorrow of a double sacrifice— the clual memories of two wars the pain of two great periods of sacrifice.. Yet with it will be born again the hope and the faith in new and grander ideals; the determination to plan and mould a better world for humanity and the launching of a finer spirit of understanding and toleration. To rectify the blunders and mistakes of the last period of selfish peace; to broaden and improve on the ideal of a ''League of Nations ' in world-wide confederacy; and to lift the lot of the average man and woman and ensure for them a fair and decent share of this world's goods. Only visions such as these make war tolerable; only goals and objectives such as these make the burden of suffering and the agony of parting seem worth while. It is to Anzac therefore that we dedicate afresh these ideals and it is to the spirit of Anzac that we must owe full explanation should we once again fail in task of stewardship entrusted us :