HokitiKa Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY. MAY 26. 1917 THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1917, Page 2

HokitiKa Guardian & Evening Star SATURDAY. MAY 26. 1917 THE WEEK.

Empire Day this week passed almost unsung and unbonored. The Government have decreed that the day is to be celebrated in conjunction with the King’s Birthday commemoration on Monday week. Just why the powers that be should sport with national days in this way is not clear. Their interference led to much confusion over the celebration of An*ao Day, and the Government are open equally to Stricture over the interference with Empire Day. The British Empire never stood so strong in all history as it does to-day when it stands fonr Bqnare to every wind that blows, and some of them are of hurricane force. The British Empire was never more beset than to-day, never so grievonsly burdened as it is in these troublous and uncertain days. It is a far-flung Empire, and every portion of it is in . tune, aB it were, with the Motherland, making sacrifices and facing the future with courage, come what may. Surely at such a time iu our national history tbe'day of the year whioh celebrates our Empire and Imperial aims should be regarded ae of first occasion, and not relegated as something of indifference to be celebrated on “ a more convenient day." We ought to be proud of our Empire beaause of the great and noble response made all round the world colored red ; and our pride should have expression in pleasur. able patriotic terms which would uplift the minds of the people to truly national work, and give them renewed enthusiasm to go forward along the great national highway the Empire has pursued so far with such great distinction. The whisperings of peace are still trickling over the cables. Following the appearance of the peace microbe in Russia and France, we have a hint

at something similar from Austria and Bulgaria. Apropos of the latter it would not be surprising to find peaoe something of a reality because Mr Bonar Law hinted a few days ago that something was on the tapis as a means to create a favorable diversion for the Allies in the dove-cot of the Central Powers. Jnst what there is in store in this respect is excitingly interesting, becanse whatever oomes from such a sonroa will be the fruits of diplomacy, and the Allies have not been too successful aloog these lines heretofore. They were out-manoeuvred with regard to Bulgaria when that country entered the arena against them, and it is now a question of whether the tables can be turned. The politiosl situation of Austria is a very mixed one, and the internal conditions there now must be such that al! things are possible. .It would be fitting, perhaps, that as the germ of the war began with the attitude of Austria and iiasaia Ote tc the other, the end of the war should coma from nations! happenings within those same ooa»tries. The great tragedy of all the centuries might thus end almost as abruptly as it was put upon the world. If it is to bo a great ending in general stalemate with the belligerents returning to anti-belium conditions, what a travesty it wdl be on the giant efforts of man. To what pnuy results will those efforts’have been turned.

In considering the prospects of peace at a minimum price to the actors so far as annexations and indemnities are concerned, thought must b 8 given to the plight of the natious themselves. They are all cverbnrJened' by a debt which is tremendous. They all have lost enormously in maD power, and the destruction of icduf tries and trade. The European countries which were invaded are broken and torn upGreat national and individual loss has been pnt upon the oonutriee, and it is not a question of whether they can pay indemnities, but whether they can recuperate. The loes of man power more than the monetary position, will delay recuperation, ar.d really iqtrnsify the financial troubles of the countries. Ths very suggestion of peace opens up a new vieta of difficulties fot urgent attention. No lees serious and momentous than to-day it is to oarry on tbe war with uodimmed vigor. However the natious might agree among themselves for a peace which will end the war, there wiil at once beg ! n within each couotiy & straggle of enormous proportions to meat the changed situations to rehabilitate the people and return to tbe normal. Even though the Central-Powers have escaped serious destruction of their owa lauds, we believe that the facing of peace times will be more difficult for them than for even the invaded countries. The Central Powers have a cruel past to live down. Their own people have yet to pass judgment on the acta of their leaders. This will be a period when monarohs might tremble and thrones totter to the ground.

Peace even at a minimum pncs to the enemy will be a most costly result. It will in point of fact he a veritable defeat, throwing upon their peoples the task of facing a Dew world with untold burdens upon them. They will be a dißcced.tad people to begin with, and however quickly sections of the world may be prone to forget, the blackest of marks are against the enemy writ large across the world’* horizon, aud a l will not forget. If then the enemy be as they should be, hampered and prevented even from enjoying the world wide trade they once postessed, it will be hard enough for them to face their own iufctrnal financial situation without being called upon to meet indemnities which if they are anything at all, must be for huge amounts. What is to be said of the enemy ruthleseness on the high seas, aud the lunacy which prompted the destruction of the mercantile marine whether neutral or otherwise ? Some: toll should be taken for crimes so great as these, and the enemy would be lightly dealt with if ship for ship destroyed were only claimed. Here again the enemy would be heavily hit, for such, a penalty would strike at commercial expansion, and render it more difficult than ever for the euemy to meet the charges of a great indemnity. Lastly there ara the annexations, which are chif ly held by Britaic, and Britain is strong enough to speak for herself. “What we have we hold” ia the bull-dog motto, and it does not seem likely that the possessions won at such cost from a ruthless enemy would ba given up lightly. . Hera then we era at a crucial issue in the settlement of any peace terms however considerate some would wish them to be.