Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 20th, 1920. STRIVING AFTER PEACE.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 August 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 20th, 1920. STRIVING AFTER PEACE.

The British Prime Minister in. his alosipg address pripr po 'Parliament proroguing, read militant Labor a lesso'u on its ill-conceived methods to control the Government of the country. Thus Labor would be a government of the Government —and law and authority would be reduced to ap absurdity Least of all could there be that peace which all profess to pine for, yet will ’ not attempt to attain by united effort under constitutional means, Mr Asquith, on the other hapd, concurred with the Government efforts to maintain peace in regard to Polish affairs His desire is so great that anything short of national dishonor should be resorted to to secure peace. Mr Lloyd George was plain-spoken to a degree as to the British effort in regards to the plight of Poland, and there is no reason whatever to doubt his sincerity in that regard. The Prime Minister showed his strength and mastery in the fearlessness k is .address to the Labor units and the incise comment he passed on phpir a.cfaop. ip seems all question that Mr Lloyd (dpoi'ge is striving most win core ly for peace, apd if lie were supported unitedly by the nation as he should be, his influence would bo completely successful. As it is he is dominating the position, despite I the efforts to inflame public opinion against him—efforts in which his political opponents ,ar,e qqly too ready to exert themselves to the -harm of fheir country, An Australian speaker in the course of a recent offdr,ess in Adelaide . said: “It is not a. country's enemies that are to be feared in times of peace, but those of its own household, who persist in confusing rights and duties and mistaking license for liberty.” He goes on to say that the only hope for humanity to rejoice in the glories of Peace, and benefit by its rewards, is an unqualified recognition of the im» mutable laws of God and the admission of the Jjimitafions and imperfections of human institutions. The fundamental error that is being made in most countries, is an organised attempt to enthrone materialism by substituting the artificial for the real and sidetracks ing natural laws by the aid of human devices and political palliatives. Moral and .spiritual attributes, said the Speaker, ar.e ,supp)anted by codes based on material expediency, while economic forces are ignored or discounted by the j dictates of irresponsible and .of,ten nornnt minorities. Tills gums up «fce ' world-wide situation, and when we ' think that this gosjiel of enlightenment is hying preached all round the globe by men who care to think and weigh the issues at their true worth, there is hope for humanity. No doubt at times the outlook Ls dark and the position discouraging, hut evolution is •preferable to revolution, and we must remember the former is not as short a, cut as the latter. The war period dislocated public life and thought and the national nerves were unstrung. ' Some countries have gone further than others in disruption and such are a shocking example to be avoided. If the Polish * plight can be redeemed without a serf- • ous European war involving some of the major nations, we shall be past the first \ dangerous barrier to the world’s peace, , and there will be brighter hopes than , ever for a peaceful future.’ ]