AN HISTORIC OCCASION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 6, 2 October 1918, Page 6

AN HISTORIC OCCASION

MEMORABLE SPEECH BY SIR JAMES ALLEN

THE DANGER WITHIN

CHIEF JUSTICE ON ETERNAL LAW

RUSSIA PAYS,THE PliiCE

The news of'the unconditional surrender of Bulgaria, intected tlie spirit of tho public yesterday ivith pleasureablo cxnilaratiou, and was the direct causo of a notable gathering in the Council Chamber of.tiio Town Hall at 12.30 p.m. Tho Mayor (Mr. J. V. Luke) justifiably summoned the meeting, and within" an hour there- assembled a remarkably representative gathering of leading citizens. Those present'included tno Acting-Primo Minister (Sir James Allen), the Hon. T. M. Wilford,. tho . Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), Justices Chapman, Sim and Cooper, Messrs. T. Forsyth (chairman ol the Wellington Education Board), and G. L. Stewart (secretary), Mr. W. H. L. Foster (chairman of the Headmasters' Association), Mr. H. E. Nicholls (representing tno Harbour Board), Messrs. William Ferguson, J. A. lire-stick, Elliot, and T. Moss (members of tho National Efficiency Board), Mr. H. Beauc-hamp (chairman), and Mr. W. Callander (general manager of the Bank of New Zealand), Mr. H. Baldwin (Mayor of tho Hutt, and chairman of the Wellington and Charitable- Aid Board), and most of the members of tho City Council. The Mayor said ho had called tho | meeting in the belief that tho city of HMiington and the City Council should identify themselves and take advantage of tho opportunity given to celebrate tha great success, the leport of which had only arrived during the last few hours. Later he would s.immit a resolution, but first he- would like to refer to tho valuo of the great sacrifices our men had made in the war. They should tunc their hearts in thankfulness to God, and in admiration of the gallantry of our forces under all manner of trying conditions. He did not mean our men of Now Zealand only, but those of Britain and her Allies, or any part of the Empire,' Ho also saw in the event the opening of peace on, all sides. To-day tho news had come 'that Bulgaria had unconditionally surrendered. (Applause.) This iiot only settled Germany's ally in tho-Balkaus, but also cut ott' the means of communication and supply to Mesopotamia and Palestine, 'l'tiis had doubtless been brought about through tho constant pressure of the. Auies on. the Western trout (m preventing Germany sending reinforcements to the Balkans), lt was absolutely a-great stroke in the cause of righteousness and peace. They honoured their boys for tlie sacrifices (hey had made in the struggle for humanity's progress. . His heart was too full for speech. He had, on behalf of the citizens, asked for a half-holiday for the schools and colleges. He moved the following resolution:—' . '„ Tnu„ tins meeting of citizens of We.uflgtoii tender their maiiks to Alnugiity Gdu, and express their grattuu and prolound admiration ior t"io continued gallantry displayed by the forces of Great Britain and ner Allies in the prosecution of tho war, and tno success attained. We aro confident mat Hie ' unconditional surrender of Bulgaria and the success ot tho Allies' efforts m Paitstine. and. Mesopotamia, and tlie great, victories on tho Western front, indicate that the prolonged sudering and sacrifices of our Kith and kin and our Allies will speedily end in the estaoiisiimcnt ot a just and righteous peace. The Doomed Turks. . lii. seconding the resolution, Councillor A. R. Atkinson referred to ilw. startling' events of the past i - or:nig:it; and notably the pursuit oil the Turks. The spectacle uf the Turks, alter four centuries of niisgoverijniontj being bundled, bag and baggage, out.of the Holy, Land by the Anracs, was an astonisliing one. The Turks had always been a blight and a curse, but under Teuton tutclago they had become more offensively brutal than ever before. Kow, ho. hoped that the time was not far .distant Then they would bo bundled out of Constantinople, and ''Europe too. for evermore, which would oring for the Dardanelles sacrifice its proper fruition. At last they saw the light breaking through the clouds, and it was but right that they should give their gratitude adequate txpres-j sion. The Greater Danger. Continuing, Councillor Atkinson said that there was still a danger—a greater danger than most people were aware oi—m the peace offensive, in our own peacemongers, and it sh-tald be mado plain to such that there was to be less room for them than there • had been. (Applause.) Tho time had come to say to them, "Get thee behind me, Satan," onco and for always. He had much pleasure in being privileged to soy «o before the Acting-Prime Minister that morning. (Applause.) If thcro was a man New Zealand \vns justly entitled to ho proud of it was Sir James Allen. (Applause.) Without diverging once from, tho strict path of duty, ho had stuck to his job. Even beforo the war he had been the one who had ■ advocated compulsory training, aiicl afterwards had put through the Military Service Act providing ftr conscription. '' (Applause.) Only recently, when interested people had suggested that the Government might consider tho' advisablencfis of sending mutton before men, Sir James Allen had replied-that New Zealand would bo in the war until the cud. (Applause.) .Sir James Allen was no half-and-half, mutton and wool, shandygaff patriot. Whenever the war came to an end, and whether the peace treaty was sigued in Vienna-or Berlin, New Zealand would bo there, with Sir James Allen's blessing and to .our intense gratification. (Applause.) Beginning ef the End. Sir James Allen said that it vas' with considerable difficulty that }c could trust himself to speak, When the important news had come through he had thought it right to communicate with tho Mayoi's of the cities, asking them to liav'e the Hugs hoisted. His first thought on receiving tho ;;oo,'l news was that of thankfulness to •Umighty God for His blessing, I so his telegram to the Mayors Imd expressed the. samo sentiment. He had no doubt that the mayors all over New Zealand had arranged meetings of celebration. Through tho offices of the Minister of Education tho schools were receiving a half-holiday, and in cases where it vas too late to give it that (lay it would' be wen subsequently. It was- fittiiM! that a mcet-.-iwr should he held. It was. or it looked like,' the beginning of the end. (Apolause.) It was inconceivable that Turkey could hold out morn than a few days. ' Still, though their task was made lighter in some theatres, they must fisdit on as resolutely as before until all' doubt was removed as to the ultimate issue. They must continue to work on with solid determination and not bo led astray by peace-fcole™ and pacifists. (Applause.) fl'iey had gone through four years of purgatory, and manv of the best lives of the country had "been'given; and they would

Imvo to go unci through, not in a spirit of vindietiveiiess, but, in order tliafc a heritage of peace could be passed on to those who caino after tliein. That could not lie gained by the methods of pacifists! Thoy'innst fight through to complete victory. ■ Tito "D3fy." "That." s:tid Sir, Limes Allen, "is tho spirit of the Allies, the spirit of Britain, mid it is our spirit. That must tiu clear and plain tu every one of us. 1 have no time for the man who looks coldly on these sacrifices, and beffs for peace at any price, (Loud applause.) And yet Die people of New Zealand have «5 much humanity in tnom fi9 these pacifists—probably more. We must fight on in order to retain what wo have solidly earned and determinedly won. What thought ranio to mo first on receipt of the news? I think it,was thankfulness to the Almighty for benefits received, and then the I thought came of the men wlio have been serving at tho front for four years. What a relief it must ho to them to find that at last they aro marching the road to victory. Tho next thought was that I ,never had, realised the tension of the i'last four years as I felt it this morning, lt was just that little relief in the novs of Bulgaria. However, we fhave seen it, through so' far, and if [ wo are really worthy of occupying this glorious little country of New Zealand we will see it through to tho end —(great applause)—and protect ourselves from any possible menace in the future. I congratulate -the citizens of Zealand'on the glorious news, and, with you, look for even mora glorious news in the near future." 'Before resuming his seat Sir James Allen announced that tho Allies in Palestine had captured a railway and had taken 10,000 more prisoners. Payday Must Come Round. Sir Robert Stout reminded the asi semblage that there "were great diffistill ahead, though Bulgaria had surrendered—difficulties not only from enemies without, but from enemies within. Their people did not yet realiso that an offence against the community must be dealt with and punished, and not •condoned or forgiven. If that were to be the case there would be no chance of a future peace of' any duration, no chance for humanity. (Applause.) There must be punishment for wrong-doing. "What would be tho case were a wrong-doer to be treated as a good man? No, it is one of the eternal law;S of the universe that wrong-doers must- take their punishment, and that must bo the case with our enemies for some time to como until justice is done. AVe must stand fast now the dawn is upon us." , Many had lost relatives, and that Joss had been deeply felt. Were they to look coolly upon their graves and say that their deaths wcro not to bo vindicated? Take tha dramas of the past—go back to "Elcctra" of Sophocles, and there 'find it written that the gods must perish if murder be not punished. Justice must be vindicated if only for the benefit of those left behind. If other people had been blessed with vision and outlook the war would have been ended beforo this. If Russia had remained in tho war the position would have been different, but"she had been given over to anarchy and Bolshevism, hence tho Russian debacle that is outraging humanity. .There had probably beeu more murders clone in Russia in the last fewweeks than in fifty years before. This was the result of a premature peace. Could it bo said that it had benefited anyone? Poape for. the future might only be established by-letting those who had done wrong know that tho par-day must come round, and if it did not come there-was no prospect of peace in the world. (Applause.) Tho gathering concluded by the singing of the National Anthem, and giving three hearty cheers for the Allies. •' AT TIJE'SCHOOLS The news of tho collapse of Bulgaria was communicated to the headmasters of the State schools and colleges by tho Education Board, and was received most enthusiastically by tho excited students, who were in every case givou a half-holiday to mark the event. The chairman of the Education Board (-Mr. Tbomaa Forsyth) attended at the Clyde? Quay School at noon, and delivered a suitable address to the chilCren on the significance of the event. Mr.iW. 11. L. Foster (headmaster) also spoke on tho momentous event, and said that the first duty should be to express thankfulness to God for tho victory He has bestowed upon us. Tho singing of the National Anthem closed tho little ecrenrony. SIR JAMES AGENTS MESSAGE TIME FOR THANKSGIVING. Tho following telegram was_ sent by tho Acting-Prime- minister (Sir James Allen) to the Mayors of all towns iii. New Zealand yesterday:— "The,unconditional surrender of Bulgaria following so closely upon General Allenby's splendid victories in Pal-, estino is an event of such far-reaching importance that I deemed it fitting to ask you to hoist your Hags. "I now recommend.you to invite citizens to render thanks to Almighty God Who in His merciful providence has nuidod us to the end of one act in the horrible drama of'the last/* four years. Ask- the people also to pray that the Father's hand may bo with the Allied amirs to protect them and lead them to tho successful and early completion of tho immense work which-'humanity in full confidence of the ultimate result has placed in their hands. "(Sgd.) J. ALLEN, "Acting-Prime Minister." AT THE BANK CORNER ____/ HON. T. M. WILFORD SPEAKS.,, At nojn a limited number of the Wellington Patriotic Society's hand assembled at the Bank of New Zealand comer, and attracted a large crowd by playing a fantasia of patriotic airs. A few minutes later the Minister of Marine (tho Hon. T. M. Wilford) ;,r--rived, and, after calling on tho band for the National Anthem, said thatthe message of the unconditional surrender of Bulgaria was the first great news of decisive, victory, and the result of this splendid achievement could be partly appreciated at the moment. First of all there was the fact that the whole reason for the war on the part of Germany had gone. When Germany began to wage warit was not with tho idea-of. a conquest of Franco | or Belgium, hut to gain aroad to the I East,, but the-news that ' day meant that this dream of expansion vas doomed to vanish. The jrrent MittulEuropa sfch'emo of the. Pan-Germans was at an end for ever. (Applause.) While the mass of the people of Germany might bo looking towards tho fighting on the Western front,' i'-o financiers, bankers, and big men directing Germany's affairs knew that the ground occupied on the West front had to he returned. They had built 7-heir hopes of nrolit on the railvay from Berlin to Bagdad. They had dreams of a conquest of Egypt and awl ;\fcso>>otamia to. thn Pershn Gulf, ami territory on to India. This 'scheme depended for its accomplishment -on tho holding of tho main lhi" of communication ' from 'Berlin to Constantinople, throuL'h the northern part of Ferai* and Sofia. But now this line would ho cut, and Turkey would be isolated from Germany. Mr. Wilford remarked that he had always held that the weakest link in the Central Powers' chain of defence was in the Balkans, and here the crack had come. Ho had no doubt that if J Turkey.had been as free to act as Bulgaria Turkey would have been in first

with a surrender, but Turkey was absolutely dominated by_ Germany in tilings' military, financial, itntl industrial; Turkey was practically only n Gcrmm colony. 'J'iie only nred now for a continuation of tli? victorious onset was a nuintonanoi! of tint civilian moral. The f-ol-dicrs wore ail right; they would fight on and on; the only possible danger was in war weariness of civilians, hut ho was sure that the people would not weaken n this time of victory. No terms of peace should ho granted to Germany until there, was an unconditional surrender. (Hear, hear, and applause ■) At the Minister's call the crowd again sang the National Anthem joyously, and cheered the. Allies. Telegrams from Christehurch, NewPlymouth, Mfistcrton, "i'imaru, and Fending slats that there war, great rejoicing on rciceV of the news, patriotic, speeches mid hands playing being the order of the day.