“A NEW NATION.”

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1919, Page 4

“A NEW NATION.”

MR BEAN’S PEACE ADDRESS.

At the request of the Commonwealth Peace Celebrations Committee, Mr C. E. W. Bean, official war correspondent with the Australian Imperial Force, wrote.au inspiring address on the war, which j was read in all the schools on the j occasion of the presentation ol peace 1 souvenir medals. In the course of j the address Mr Bean saidj

“ The nation which attempted to force on the world the rule that onh T the strong had rights, that small and weak'things must go to the wall, that treaties were useless, and . any" powerful people could break its given word—.that; nation itself has been broken because the best men of all couutiies determined by their lives or their deaths to prevent it. A great fear has been lifted from the world. Treaties are become binding again. The world has ruled that not even the strongest nation shall dare to break her given word ; that be a nation never so small, if she lias right upon her side a scrap of paper may protect her. The world has exacted from the great breaker of treaties a ter- ! rible punishment.

“ And our own young country—what does the peace mean to her ? Australia rides safely in harbour to-day", a new nation. Five y'ears ago the world barely knew her. To-day", the men who went to fight for her have placed her high in the world’s regard. During four long years, in good fortune and ill, they so bore themselves that when the tide changed the great and free nations beside whom they, fought and with whom they" emerged counted Australia amongst them. She has been given a place in the conference of nations; the great world has recognised her right to mould her future as she pleases. That is what the Australian force, not only" in France, Gallipoli, and Palestine, but in Mesopotamia, in Persia, in Russia, and on the seas, has done for Australia. “ And while we offer thanks on their return to those who have won for us this right to make our country" one of the greatest and our nation the happiest upon earth, while the flags flutter and hands are waving, let us not ever forget that, to many ol those to whom we owe the most, our thanks can never be given. They who raised Australia to the very height of the world’s regard—the gay welcome in our streets is not lor them. For others the cheers, the smiles. The rejoicings which they' so often longed for, they" will never see. Twelve thousand miles from home they’ sleep for ever on the bleak moorlands, where by" their lives the place, of Australia in the world was won. Yet, could they speak, they would not call us to weep. Their lives they gave cheerfully", graudly", knowing the cause ; and they" have won for their country' more than they" ever hoped to win. Only" by one means can we work out our thanks to them—by continuing the task which they" were forced to drop when the bullet took them, and devoting our lives to make this country the happy, great, and generous land whose future with their death they gave into our hands.”