THE WORLD OUTLOOK

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 288, 31 August 1921, Page 6

THE WORLD OUTLOOK

BISHOP LONG S GLOOMY VIEW GERMANY’S MARVELLOUS ENERGY Bishop Long, speaking in All Saints’ Cathedral, Bathurst, expressed the view that there seemed the likelihood of another catastrophe on even a larger scale than that suffered during the past eeven years. Wo were standing before a still unknown and uncertain future, ho said, and could not feel sure that the worst had passed. The relatively little notice that was taken of the appalling and colossal calamity in Russia was significant of the tremendous psychological change that the war had produced in mankind. If such a disaster had occurred only seven and a half years ago the whole of the world would have been found striving to lift a little of the weight of awful suffering from thef afflicted nation. Yet such a catastrophe of enormous magnitude to-day evoked little thought aud sympathy.' The earthquake disasters, such as at Lisbon and Messina, that" had so thoroughly roused the world in the years gone by, were trifling in relation to presenrtdny events. This psychological over-balancing should be regarded as the greatest cause for anxiety. The nations, said tho Bishop bad departed from their old sobriety, and we saw such a nation as France lost to all sense of balance. France seemed to be obsessed with tho desire to renew antagonism with her apparent enemies, and to tear the pages out of a peace treaty of her own making, in order to drag from Germany tho last of her wealthy coalfields. She was in every way departing from the fundamental principles of the peace, and had been seized with a kind of mania that was threatening to drive the whole world mad. Italy was resting on the edge of a political volcano. Germany, perhaps, was tho most patient and industrious of tho European nations, and possessed a marvellous mental energy that was waiting eveiy chance offered. If Germany could, and would, pay her indemnity ;n goods, she. would have tho world at her feet. It was no good talking nonsense regarding the indemnity. A military victory could not be cashed over the counter. Bishop Long said they must blush at tho spectacle of Englishmen who had made sacrifices in tho Great War, and who had been promised ideal conditions with peace, rushing to enlist in a Spanish legion to fight the Moors.