LEADERS RETURN

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 269, 9 August 1919, Page 8

LEADERS RETURN

A CIVIC WELCOME TASKS OF PEACE CONFERENCE GERMAN TRADE MENACE THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS The weather gave a wet and cheerless welcomo to Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward on their arrival in tho dark hours of yesterday morning, after a particu-' larlv long and very rough trip from Onehunga to Wellington in the Pateena. Mr. Massey came ashore at once, and went to his homo and to bed. Sir Joseph Ward left the ship about six o'clock, being welcomed bv Sir James Allen, the Hon. W. D. S. SlacDonald, the Hon. A. M. Myers, and the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke). Sir Joseph Word had been accompanied on the voyage from Auckland by Lady Ward and Mr. Vincent Ward, and he was met on arrival in Wellington by Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Ward and Mrs. B. B. Wood. Mrs. Massev had suffered somewhat severely from sea-sickness on the voyage from Auckland, and she was not able to attend the civic reception in the Town Hall at midday. Mrs. Massey, it will be remembered by her friends, left here in poor health, but she has quite recovered, and had been in good health beforo this last experience. Miss Massey, who had also accompanied Mr. Massey on tho trip abroad, was present at the reception.

The Town Hall was crowded in every part before noon, when the civic reception was held, and hundreds of people were unable to get in anywhere. All the entrances to the hall were crowded, people standing there to hear the speeches well outside the doorways. The Patrir otic Society's Band played outside as the hall was filling, and inside Mr. Bernard Pago played tho organ. Tho leaders were given a very hearty reception by tho crowd, 'and when they spoke there was only one interjector who had anything to say at all, and he made only two or three remarks. There was certainlv no section of the crowd that did not appear to be most friendly.

Mr. Luke, in offering a welcome on behalf of the citizens to Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, said that tho two leaders had returned from a very important mission, on which they had done their work honourably and well, in a fashion ..which must bring credit to New Zealand. (Applause.) For a country with a small population, New Zealand had done as much eb it should in tho war, and not only were the people present to-day to welcome the leadera, but also to pay a tribute to the part played in the great conflict by tflve boys of the country. Let tho people not forget the boys whose- efforts had enabled the leaders to do what they had done at'the Peace Conference. (Applause.) Continuing, Mr. Luke .said it gave him supremo pleasure to welcome, on behalf of tho poop!!e of Wellington nnd of the -rest of Now Zealand, tho Prime Minister and the Minister of Financo upon their return. Those two men had 1)0011 joined together as "tho Siamese twins"—(laughter)—and whatever differences of opinion thore might be, there could bo no doubt that the National Government, under the leadership of the guests of the day, bad done much good work. (Applause.) In conclusion, ho referred in terms of appreciation to the work of Sir James Allen and tho Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald and tho other members of Cabinet during the obsenco of Mr. Massey and Sir Jcsoph Ward.

.Sir James Allen, Acting-Prime Minister during Mr. Masso.v's absence, then rose to speak, and was heartily applauded. He said Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward had done their work well. '(Applause.) They camo back >as tho harbingers of peace, and as such ho welcomed them back on behalf of the Parliament and peonlo of Now Zealnnd. The Hon. AV. I). S. MacHonald snoke briefly, joining with tho oblwr speakers in their welcome to Mr. Masscy and Sir Joseph Ward. He had always thought their mission had been tho most important any New Zonlanders had ever pot forth upon. It had been essential to New Zealand that, the Pacific trade routes should be protected, and therefore the mission had baen necessary. But apart from the commercial point of view —from the historical asipc.t—'t had Iwn cwntial and fitting that the country should be represented. (Applause.) Ho extended a hearty' welcome to the party upon their return.

. THE PRIME MINISTER. GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN. Mr. Sfassey was received with heartv anplausowlioi he stood forward fo rne.nk. Ho tliiinkixl Iho audience for r'io wlcomn which had been extended to his collenguo and himself on their return after retirerenting New Zealand at tho Penoo Conference. Ho was sum also, as His Wor. ship hud said, that they were being "-elcorned! not only bv tho pponle of Wpllin.gton, hut that the reception given to tbpni in this city was tvnicnl of tho feelings of the peonlo of the whole country. Ho referred to tho accounts of the mooting that hnd.hpon he'd in Auckland. The. accounts of that meeting as published in Wollinetoii gave, it seemed to him, unduo nrominpnee to the lwtilitv displayed. Tho Town Hall at Auekla.nd wp.s enro-d----od. and ivit.li the exception of a little disturbance made by a noisy section which had appropriated a part of the "alien 1 , the meeting had b?en quite Mendlv. pr«n enthusiastic. He had said then that .fin i-ro r i.if- -n.g flfh- (■/> ml „ i n f nr o\iT of Sir Joseph Ward" and himself, and be t'lniubt this was an un'lprstefemoot. He wished tn endorse all that the Mayor- had Said about tile manner in which the work of Government Imd been done in their -ibsence by Sir James Allen and t>" "*rjjiictere n.e-ioeinM with him in the Cabinet. Ho was clad of the onnorfunity fa 7«nVo this statement of anpreciatieii of their work. He b">w that the work had been donp well. He had seen that morning some naners concerning the fas l -- of re. 'viHp.tion, and the fiTiirM submitted to lii'm were vpi'v oroditalvlo not nnly to the Ministers anil the Repatriation Denari'"e.nt, but to the whole of the nprndo of Now Zealand. T"ey showed FRVit tho nponle of New Zealand wee dotor'uined to do iusHee I" our rcturnine: soldiers.

He took' it that tho wpsenco of such a. In.nrp assemblage was some indiction that the neonle were glnd r« have them bflolc. I<V" their part Kir .Toso n l, Ward and himself were very glad iudoprl to bo l-.'-nlc '" their own noimtn". There W"-o difficulties faci'"r them of ernirse. Tho railways wero tied up, and the strongest iv*«iWo argument in favour of the rpstonition of the po7'viops as soon as nes. <fibl.p 'md bp»n afforded to him and to I'm cnllwnp by tho pyrtoponrp fhpy hml '■ad tmrrlliig f'wn ManuHu >n T\V. lington in tho Patppna. (TjaurhlerA Tt was an pywrionee that not ono of Iho party was likely to forget for some time.] The Treatv and the. Slpninti. It had been indicated by tho Mayor that the work to bo done at the Peace Conference had been important. Tt hud in fact been exceedingly important, more important than perhaps the people of Now Zealand could realise up till now. The conference had been interesting to those who bad boon privileged to take part in it, nnd especially during the first three months. He was bound to say Hint the rest of tho time had been somewhat trying, when tho Germans would not. say first of all whether they would sign the Treaty or not, and then, when they did agree to sign, would not say when they would sign. At one time he h.id considered whether il. was worlh while to stay to sign the Treaty, and he went so far as to book berths on a steamer to cross the Atlantic and so connect with the steamer from Vancouver. Then a most extraordinary difficulty occurred—the Germans fixed the very day and hour for signing the Treaty that had been fixed for tho sailing of the Mauretania from Southampton. As soon as it had become clour thai the Germans were going to sign the Treaty he had made up his mind that the signature of the representative of New Zealand would he at. taehed to the Treaty if he had to wait a month for it. The Mayor had referred to the number of men who had been sent from this country to.tight. He (Mr Masscy) had considered .".t length that ; f it had hppn thought worth while—which it certainly had been—to send a hundred thousand men to fight, il was worth while for the representative of the people

of New Zealand to attach his signature on behalf of the peoplo who had sent him, the samo people who had sent tuo troops to fight, jfo wished (o say that the name of Now Zealand stood high among all the nations of the world. Of that he had had plenty of proof. Ho wonjjl refer to one incident. When the conference was waiting for the signature of the Treaty, knowing that ho would have to leave hurriedlv as suon as the signing wsis over, h« look the opportunity of bidding good-bye to friends ho had made, among them tho president of the conference, M. Clemoncoau, Premier of France. .M. Clemciiccitu said -;is ho was taking leave: "I want: to thank you on behalf of France for Ihp assistance of your brave men. France will never forget." If Franco never would forget, neither would the other Allied nations, and certainly the people of the British Empire never would forget what had been done in this war by the troops from New Zealand and the other Dominions. We on our part had to remember those who had made sacrifices in the Great War on our behalf. We had to remember the parents Who mourned for so many of the bravo lads to-day. We had to see that the peace upon which we had entered, which ho hoped would last for many years, was worthy of the men who had (lied for us, the men who had died that peace and liberty and civilisation might he preserved to humanity. Wo hail to make this great Empire of ours, which the Germans had intended to smash—for there could be no doubt that this was the intention of the Germans, and that iX they had succeeded in it they would have made it a hell on earth for us—wo had to moke this Empiro which had been saved for ns a better, brighter, and greater Empire than it had ever been.

Germany's Load. The Peace Conference had altered the map of Europe to such an extent as to make it almost unrecognisable. Tho Conference had altered not only tho map or Europe, but the maps of Asia, Africa, aud the Pacific. Not only this, but the German menace, which had been hanging over our heads like a thunder cjoud for so many years before tlio war, had been removed for ever. The great fleet, the purpose of which had been to smash the British Navy, was lying to-day at the. bottom of Scapa Flow—(applause)— where it had been sent by the treachery of the Germans. Littlu had the Ger-' mans thought when ihey were perpetuating their last act of treachery that they were solving for the Allies a difficulty that might have been liinicult of solution by any other means. Never again uould German- submarines' sink peaceful British .raders, tir drown, non-combatants. Their Kaiser, who had been more than auv other man responsible for the war, was no uioife than an outcast and a wanderer on tho lace of the earth. (Applause.) Tho Peace Treaty siiid that nover again would the Germans be allowed to own submarines or aeroplanes, or armoured cars, or tanks, or to manufacture poison gas. Ho did not know how long tlieso provisions in tho Treaty would be operative, but fifty years would be a long time for such provisions to be strictly enforced.

Germany had been given a very heavy burden to carry, but in his opinion no heavier than Germany was emitted to carry—(applause)—and no heavier tliau she was able to carry, and yet the largest that she could carry. Germany had lost her colonies, part of her territories in Europe, but she was still a nation Of seventy millions of people. Lot it not b« forgotten that tho war never had been carried on on German soil. It was perhaps very easy to bo wise after the event, but if the Allies had to do the task again ho thought the proper course woulu bo to carry on until the lighting was carried within German boundaries—(applause)— and then peaco might bo made. (Applause.) He did not blame anybody lor what had occurred, Everybody on the side of ; the Allies had been anxious to stop the loss of life that was inseparable from tho carrying on of tho war. Conditions were given to Germany m the armistice whicn s,ho could accept. But tho Allies had not pushed the Pcacb Treaty at tho boginning as they should have pressed it. lor this he took his own Blmro of responsibility. Much of tho time of tho Conference was taken up with side issues. In the meantimo oui troops were being demobilised in thousands, and Germany was getting into a stronger position all the time, while this Allies were getting into a weaker position. As one had said: "If you go on long liko this, Germany will be getting an indemnity from you instead of you getting one from her." Thero wefo still seventy million Germans. They had ta<(en the opportunity of smashing ovory industrial establishment in any part of the occupied territories. Everything useful had been taken to Germany, and that which could not be put to use in Germany had been destroped. This was the position of the Germans to-day. They were, a clever people, and "thorough" was their motto. Everything they did, they did well, ami for this we must give them credit. According to the Treaty they were to be allowed to havo all the raw-material they required for their industries. Now all the world was in a stato of unrest, and if tho Allied people wero not watchful the position might soon be that Germany would get in first in tho fight for tho trade of the world. (Cries of "No.") However, he had sufficient confidence in his fellow-citizens of the British Empiro to believe that they would hold their own in tho fight with tho Germans. But unless industry and production were resumed quickly Germany would get to work' and flood the markets of the world with German goods. The remedy .was for all British people, and our concern was chiefly with Now Zealand people, to get to business and prepare for the very serious competition with which our fel-low-citizens of tho Empiro were to bo faced.

Making Germany Pay. He had ireferred to the burden laid on Germany. No such thing as an indemnity was- being exacted from Germany. Germany was to be made to pay reparation for tho damnsc done to France and Belgium and Britain, Britain's losses being mainly in ships. There was one very important fact as applying to New Zealand, and it wi\9 an instance of what was the position in other of the Allied countries. Nearly 17,000 of our brave young men were among the killed ami missing in the war, and ho did not know how many of the living had been incapacitated, but he did know that the number of the casualties in the New Zealand forces had beon sonwthing like (10,000. A very largo 6iim was to be paid in pensions to the incapacitated mm to the dependants of those who would never see their country again. This sum had to ]>e paid by Germany. As far as it was possible to judge, our payment on account of pensions would ba about two millions a year. Capitalised at the rate of S per cent., with provision for a sinking fund of 1 per cent., tho sum would be twenty-five million pounds. This was a legitimate claim to bo mode on behalf of New Zealand, and a claim that was permitted in terms of the Treaty. Personally he did not think that wo would get nioro than half tho sum, but ho hoped he might prove :to bo wrong. In any event tho money would have to be paid to the peoplo who had suffered by the war, and .whatever might como of the claim against Germany, the people of New Zealand would seo that this was done, for all that, the Now Zealand Government would press the claims against Germany. An effort had been made at tho Conference to determine thd extent of Germany's capacity to pny, and tho amount that she ought to bo called upon to pay for reparation, but tho experts entrusted with the task had beon unablo to agreo on either of these matters. In the end a permanent. Commission had beon sot up to take charge of tho financial questions involved in llicso problems. Tho Commission would have the right to take pnymenl; in debentures at 5 per cent, interest and 1 per cent, sinking fund. There was an understanding that the amount lo bo required from Germany was not to bu less than five thousand millions sterling— n very lingo sum, but much less than the losses of the Allies—and that, the maximum would not bo moro than ten or eleven thousand millions. It had 'been the aim of the Germans In smash the British Empire. They thought (hat when Britain was attacked I he cii'onies would cut I he painter and Imvo the Mother Country to her fate. The colonies had done nothing of the sort, and the British Empire wasstrongcr and more closely united to-day than at I he outbreak of war. (Applause.) It was our duty as citizens of this great Empire to see that whatever might happen in the future—for the Loaguo of Nations,

intended as it was to prevent war, might not do more than to nuiko wars less frequent—to keep our Empire strong find united, lo develop all oui' waste territories. Hore in New Zealand we must develop our own territories and endeavour 'by every means to make our people the leaders among tho family of nations in the British Umpire. (Applause.)

SIR JOSEPH WARD. THE TOOTLES STILL AHEAD. Sir Josoph "Ward, who was received with applause, thanked the Mayor for his personal reference, and also Sir James AKen and.the Hon. AV. D. S. MacDonaM for tho welcome that they had extended. Re said ho appreciated very sincerely tho work that had been done by tho resident Ministers in New Zealand during the nbsunco of Mr. Masscy and himself. He had a general knowledge of the many difficulties that had been encountered by the Government during his absence, and he believed that tho Ministers deserved the commendation of every section of the community. The Dominion, said Sir Joseph, had gono through a period that, at all events on the surface, had been completely clear of party politics. The suspension of party politics- had been absolutely necessary from the point, of view of this great and important part of the Empire during a time when tho yery existence of tho nation was threatened by an external foe, and pnh'.io men could not possiblv have justified themselves if they had hampered the effective prosecution of the war or. anything like personal grounds. The war was now over. That was the great fact at the present moment. The war had ended, but to. have expected a war of such magnitude to end without giving rise to- other troubles would have been to expect the impossible. He did not profess to bp a prophet, but ho would remind tho people of New Zealand that he had predicted publicly on several occasions that tho after-troubles of the war would be as great, without tho loss of life, as the troubles of the, war itself.

Peace and Reparation. "The Peace Conference, from which we ha.vo come, lias completed the work that the people of this country voluntarily began," said Sir Joseph Ward. "It has affirmed to the whole world that no dictator is ever to be allowed again to plunge the world in'ii war on his own account. (Applause.) It has affirmed that—and lam sure wo all agree— the conscription of human beings for the purpose of enabling nations to get at each other's throats is to be stopped all over the world. It has compelled Germany to agree that the German armed forces shall not exceed 200,000 men for the next two years and 100,000 men afterwards. German armies are to bo prevented from running riot over Europe, as they noarly succeeded in doing during the last live years. We all agree that the enemy ought to pay for all thedamage and loss that Allied countries have incurred during the war. IJut unfortunately tho Germans cannot do that. They are bound by the terms of the Treaty to restore the devastated districts of France and Belgium, to give all that they can afford to give bv way of indemnity,- but they themselves are bled to a large extent, although they bind France almost .white and Belgium to the verge of destruction. U tho Reparation Commission does its duty it will compel Germany during tho next thirty years to provide all the money tho Germans can pay towards their debt of reparation."

The Power of the League Sir Joseph Ward emphasised tho magnitude of 'the interests involved in the Peace Conference. Thirty-two independent nations had been represented at the Conference table, and it hod not been possible for any delegate, to present individual views and opinions in parliamentary manner. Tho delegations of the great Powers had been backed by huge staffs of military, legal, and economic experts, and the machinery necessarily had been enormously complicated. Ho considered* that - a marvellous degree of success had been attained, and- that the Peace Treaty, with tho attached Charter of Labour, was a wonderful document. Tho forma-' tiou of the League of Nations was in his opinion the most important work that had been done by the Peace Conference. Tho League was a groat experiment. It was intended to make it impossible for any Emropeaa Power or 'other Power to start a war without having an intimation from the other nations composing the Lcaguo that they' would do. their best to crush the disturber of the world's peace. The League, as time passed, was bound to contain every important country in tho world. Even Russia, _ tho country where, the gravest crisis existed, would enter the League. It was only a matter of time when Russia would be split into various States—republics, h« believed—and these States would come into tho League of Nations. The League would assume a. form and an importance that would prevent any combination of nations from going to war in a hurry, because every nation would realise that the League was in a position to apply that most terriblo and effective weapon, the blockade. The blockade meant cutting off food supplies from the people who had gone to war, and it was the best method of preventing any nation from attempting to win world dominion, to which no single nation was entitled. Ho hoped that all people would realise their individual responsibility for the success of the League, and would join in urging that it should bo given a fair trial over a period of at least 25 or 50 years, so that a new generation might grow up realising that peaco was greater ajid mc-re powerful than war._ A new generation in Germany and in Russia would respect peaco.

New Zealand's Position. If it had boon possible during the last four years and a half to block tho mouth of one of' New Zealand's great rivers, added Sir Joseph "Ward, nobody would have been surprised if tho waters .of tho river found now channels and brolco beyond their recognised lines. Tho peoplo of the Dominion had had their normal peace conditions blocked for four years and a half, and it wp.b dnly to bo expected that the tributaries of tho river, industrial, ooramercial and social, should have broken bounds in places. Tt would have been foolish to have expected otherwise. Tho duty of the peoplo of tho Dominion now' was to exercise their independent rights' and their judgment to tho full and see that any perilous conditions were stopped. The peoplo of the Dominion were not going to be deterred by anything in tho naturo of sectional rnlo from supporting the laws of Hie country and getting back to sound .conditions under this new order. . "Wo shall never return to tho old prewar conditions," 6aid the Minister,. "It is our duty to help to restore this country under the new conditions, in the new era we have entered. I am persuaded .Clint the Peace Conference, culminating' in the signing of the Pence Treaty, is the beginning of a new era in which New Zealand will have a position in the forefront. I have hp,ard New Zealand people and New Zealand laws and New Zealand soldiers spoke of in many countries in a way that would make any man feel nroud of his country. I do not believe that any ill judgment or temporary difficulties will be allowed to stand in the way of the future nrosperity and development of this bright and happy country of ours." (Applause.) Tho proceedings closed with the National Anthem.