The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” SATURDAY', MAY 14th., 1921. THE WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” SATURDAY', MAY 14th., 1921. THE WEEK.

Thk week hits been notable for a very great event in particular—Germany's unconditional acceptance of the reparation terms of the indemnity. Judged by the Chancellor’s remarks it has been done with a good grace too, without the spirit of equivocation usually to be looked for with Germany. That is some guarantee of stability, at last on the pait of Germany. Another guarantee, no less indicative of the true position, is the President’s attitude. He threatened to resign if the terms were not accepted—a step which would have led to national chaos and unmeasurable disaster. Herr Wirth, the newly-ap pointed political head of Germany, was very fair in his address to the Reichstag. He nonestly admitted there was no alternative but to accept the victors' terms. That would have been Germany’s attitude had the situation been the other way about, and the Allies the suppliants, though perhaps the Allies would not have had as much breathing time in which to juggle with the terms more to their liking—hut that is another story. For the present we have the acceptance of the terms as they are. Herr Wirth is quite within his rights in issuing a warning as to economic possibilities in an international way, and he is equally right in placing the responsibility for any untoward situation which may arise upon the Allies. He speaks earnestly of the position which can be met only by tho honest endeavor of the German nation to meet the incurred obligations and he shows his confidence in the Allies by the assurance he was able to give that the Poles would not l>e permitted to contravene the Versailles treaty in respect to the Silesian settlement. Herr Wirth has made a very good beginning. Called suddenly to office he seems to be just the sort of man time and the hour often bring to the front when most needed. May it prove so in this instance.

j Another event of- far-reaching importance, too, is the advent of the new American Ambassador to England, who takes up his official duties with words of the highest good will and of promising good fellowship. Colonel Harvey is a new man in political office, having hitherto been something of an American Warwick in the making and tinmaking of Presidents. Mr Harvey was a foremost newspaper man, writing incisively on all large questions. He is said to have made and unmade President Wilson. To unmake the ex-Presklent, he sot about making President Harding, and as things go in Ameroia it is t>erhaps not surprising to find Mr Harvey in High office. But he has talent and ability for the position, and Mr Harding would have no qualms in the selection of Mr Harvey for the important task of representing America in Great Britain. Mr Harvey may b« n»W to the flf tiw

regards an intimate knowledge of international questions in which his own great country would be interested, be has a first class grasp, as also insight of public opinion in America. On those questions Air Harvey stood for the entry of the United States into the war. He is therefore pro-Ally, and from his cordial message to the Kina of England, he may he described t once at pro-British. Doubless he is a warm advocate of closer Anglo-Ameri-can relations not alone for international diplomacy, but above all because they are both English-speaking peoples of a common stock and with a common heri- ! tage. There is a great movement gathering in America to that end, and it will not be surprising if the Ambassa-

dor with his grasp of public feeling and knowledge of the historical and blood relationship of the two peoples, will not he a foremost factor in helping to ce-

ment closer than ever those Anglo-Am erican relations.

America's ambassadorial message to King George is pregnant with the com pletest Anglo-American understanding. We may be sure that the British reply will he no less cordial and equally sincere. We can well believe that King George will seize upon the opportunity with the advice of his Cabinet to make his answer a thoroughly fraternal one tind capable only of the most ‘pleasing interpretation as to the present and prospective associations of the two countries. Colonel Harvey says he brings to England a. message from President Harding not only of good will, but also of good cheer and good hope. Splendid. indeed, is it not at such a critical time as the present It is suggestive of perhaps the even greater possibf. lities which might arise should t>e League of Nations fail. Anglo-Ameri-can relations cordial and agreed, what nation dare disturb the peace of the world with impunity? Yes, there is good cheer and good hope in President Harding's message. But there is more. Mr Harvey recognises that America has moral obligations to assist the Mother County and act together. ATore splendid still. Here are the ties of blood and language asserting themselves and best of all the American speaks of the Alother Country. It is home like and has an honest ring under such circumstances. Then comes the climax: “The Great Empire and the Great Republic shoulder to shoulder, must not fail to save themselves and the world.” There is the greatest assertion of all, the practical Anglo-American union which would do so much for this world in travail. The moment is history making. It- is an occasion when the world could afford to stand still and salute the Union .Tack and Stars and Stripes flying side by side and guaranteeing to all nations a righteous peace and a. sure plentitnde under sane ml honest government.

From what has just been written we see what the world may .vet owe to a full and free Anglo-American Union. This prospect has not been horn suddenly. It has been worked for nobly on the United States side of the Atlantic, by speakers and writers and thinkers for long past. No less sincere and earnest has been the work on the British side of the Atlantic seeking for a common union between the Englishspeaking peoples. It is coming, and for this great gift to the world—for all nations will benefit from it—great credit must be given to those who against opposition and much adverse thought (to say nothing of enemy propaganda) have helped to build up a sound public opinion in America. In our second edition to-day we are reprinting an article by Afr Owen Wister an American citizen and writer, who believes in England and who longs to see the United Slates leagued with Britain in a common world defence policy. In the article to l>e published to-day (it will appear in Monday’s first edition) Mr Wister answers the anti-British in the United States who belittle Englan 1 s war effort. Tt is a soul-stirring article of deeds accomplished. No one with any pride of race should miss reading it. It is the sort of article which should be republished in the School Journal and read by every senior scholar in New Zealand and throughout the Empire. There is much that will be news to the average reader about England, and one can well understand that a group of citizens like Mr Wister, impressed with the convictions he has, must indeed be hungering for the An-glo-American l iiion to become a Union in serious fact.

There was another highly important event affecting the world’s future enacted this week, when the Crown Prince of Japan was received so cordially in Britain. # The AngloJapanoso Alliance has been u

most useful treaty to both countries. There was a great measure of profitable security to each in the defensive Alliance which was formed, and both countries acted honorably up to the terms. England lias been publicly acknowledging Japan’s help in the war, and undoubtedly, it was of immense importance. Australia and New Zealand have reason to he grateful for it, for without the aid of the Japanese Navy our troops could not have been carried overseas without serious calamity from the enemy ships. 'Hie Crown Prince spoke in his reply of striving to redeem the bloodshed of the millions in the Great War by establishing for all a reign of peace and justice. There is no reason to doubt the honesty of these sentiments. Japan is a power in the land. Her navy is second to none in preparedness, and the third most power fpl on tho seas. That it has been carefully modelled on the Britisli Navy is at once a compliment and an assurance as to its utility, and wo know of that in fact in the late war. If to the AngloAmerican Alliance there could he joined the Japanese as a third party, the clouds of war would rapidly melt away. The Pacific is often spoken of as the theatre of the next titanic struggle, hut with such a Triple Alliance as that suggested, the Pacific would remain true to its name. ft is not without great interest and highly possible consequences that just at the moment great men and leaders from America and Japan are in England to-day meeting together and getting to understand each other the better.

There arc black spots on the sun of our happiness to-day—the cottl crisis at Home, find Irish affair? pnmended, Bv,t bnd p.r.d rdl f * they (ire w« eerp

tinuo hopeful because of the patience and acknowledged moderation of the British people. A little over six months ago there were 350,000 unemployed in Britain. By February the figure was 1,039,000 and to-day the ranks of the unemployed have swollen to the formidable total of 5,000,000. The coal strike is responsible for much of the unemployment at present, but the acute nos of the position is indicated when it is remembered that the total member ship of the British trade unions is between six and seven "millions. The adult population of the British Isles is about 23,000,000 and this means that something like one-fifth of the working population is out of work. The coal strike is still unsettled, and its continuance must mean a still further widening in the area of unemployment. The depression in trade at the present time is severe enough in Britain apart , altogether from the strike, and the actj ion of the miners in precipitating a crisis on top of it must bo causing widespread misery to millions of workers without the prospect of any compensating benefit whatsoever. The miners obtained for themselves during the war an unprecedented standard ,of comfort, j and they are determined to maintain it I irrespective of whether it impedes or ! stops production. Foreign competitors nave already cut heavily into tho export coal trade, and if coal prices are continued at an uneconomic level the recovery of British industry must he still further delayed.

Tim most hopeful news from Ireland for many a long day is the announcement of n meeting between the head of the Sinn Fein party and the leader of the Ulster Unionists. The elections for Ireland’s two Parliaments are about to take place, the British Government is disposed to grant almost any reasonable widening of the powers of selfgovernment that the Irish are able to agree upon, and everybody in Ireland must by this time be heartily sick of a campaign of violence that leads nowhere. In an interview in March, Mr Do Valera saw no gleam of hope in the situation from his point of view except that to die for .Sinn Fein was a victory for the “moral forces of the world.” But although without any hope of victory, the Sinn Fein leader was fas bitter as ever against the partitioning of Ireland with a separate Parliament for Ulster, and threatened the absolute and complete exclusion of all Belfast goods from tho South of Ireland until it was abandoned. Mr de Valera’s critics'wore not slow to point out that while this step would intensify the rancour ho deplored, it woud not greatly injure Ulster, as her trade is mainly with Britain, and her commercial links with the South are few. That was in March, and it argues a great change of mind to find the Sinn Fein leader in May in consultation with Sir James Craig. Tt may bo that the despised Home Rule Act, with some agreement as to amendment, will lie the the way out after all.