Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 24th, 1919. AN AUSPICIOUS OPENING.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 24th, 1919. AN AUSPICIOUS OPENING.

Tins Peace Congress lias opened auspiciously. The selection of the President of th e Congress from France is at once a compliment and a tribute to the great glory of the nation demonstrated all through the war. The leading statesmen of France have distinguished themselves no less than the rank and file all through the war, ill the veteran statesman of France, M. Clemenceau, the Congress has the presidency of one who has displayed all the highest traits of character which count towards personal greatness. A pleasing aspect of the selection was the fact that the motion was moved by President Wilson, and seconded by Mr Lloyd George. The commoner by reason of his country’s deeds, instigated as they were by his own brilliant leadership and organisation, might well have claimed the right to propose tho motion. Mr Lloyd George is however, too great a democrat not to recognise tho force and effect of the motion being moved by the leader of the' greatest democracy the world has ever seen. In liis greatness, Mr Lloyd George has submerged liis own personality, and the result is a demonstration to the whole world of the unity of feeling and concord of action as between the Great 'Powers at the Congress. Another very promising phase of the opening proceedings was the inaugural addresses from the leaders ofi Franco. Both the (President of France who welcomed the delegates, and the Premier of France who is presiding over the conclave delivered speeches, admirable in tone and matter. M. Clemenceau’s speech covered the ground-work of the business in the sane and temperate manner in which it was to he expected nations emerging from the horrors of a great war should view the general situation. His speech was a plea for no more war, the great climax of the your years’ titanic conflict for which the Allied belligerents used up all their-resources and saerified their man-power. The speech gives confidence in tho work of the Peace Conference. It is a speech in keeping with 'Mr Lloyd George’s oft-uttered goal of ambition when passing from terror to triumph. The victory was to be used for the benefit of a common humanity, and there was to he a lasting peace. The world would not have it otherwise. Hie thought of another world-war is surely impossible. The great organisation necessary to gird the loins for a conflict of world wide importance will surely never be attempted again. The nations will look to tlicir leaders for sane guidance and for an honourable effort not alone to preserve the peace of the world, hut to ensure its preservation for an indefinite time. It must be remembered that the delegates sitting at the Pea go Congress are all men who have been through the strain and turmoil of the war, men who have spent anxious weeks and months striving for victory and during the exhausting period have witnessed the draining effect of the war, participated in its horrors, and realised in a porsonal way that there must he no more war. The opening of the Peace Conference suggests that this conclusion is a personal one, and that arisng from it will be the single determination to go forward resolved to ensure with the wonderful opportunity before them, the lasting peace of the world.