The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is in-Corporate the west coast Times.) THURSDAY, JULY 19th. 1923 A MEMORIABLE ANNIVERSARY

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is inCorporate the west coast Times.) THURSDAY, JULY 19th. 1923 A MEMORIABLE ANNIVERSARY

To-iuy. July 19, in tTio fourth anniversary of the official peace day marking tlie termination of the Great War. Tho hint shot was lired in November of 1918, and then camo tho period of the armistice, to he ended by tho ] roclaimition and celebration of Peace Day. Now, after four years of unending discussion and disputation, many alarms and excursions, the killing ol many innocent people, the ruining ol many more, mid tho maintenance of a state of war in parts of Germany, and a military camp in France, we seem to be as far off real peace as ever. France Belgium under her wing seeks to impeve her own peace demands, by her own methods. The protests of Britain and Italy have been of no avail and America, has withdrawn from Europe, evidently her patience with France being exhausted. Meant into Germany is heading to further financial embarrassment. ami period by period becoming more and more unablo to meet demands. France, on tho other hand, enforces her pressure, penetrating further, and arising from untoward incidents in some of the large cities, taking reprisals which must embitter fooling and make the achievement of a real pence more and mere difficult. The cable news this week has indicated tile British position on the situation in Europe very frankly, and tho Prime Minister's business-like statement, has been generally endorsed by the press and Parliament of Great Britain; but m France the policy enunciated is not. received in a friendly spirit; rathe is there the feeling expressed there that tne attitude of tho British is still considered unfriendly, with the ulterior idea of humbling France and so placing an international wedge between Frame and Germany which will l>e more for the benefit of the latter than the former! It is difficult to estimate how this conclusion is reached, hut over and over again the French press express it, and “1-e Temps,” one of the influential Paris newspapers, this week repeats the conclusion in terms almost insulting to Britain. The unofficial British attitude was well expressed during tho week by Colonel John Ward of tho Labor Party who hacked up the statement of Mr Stanley Baldwin, and no doubt spoae with much inner knowledge of the real situation in Europe. There is further support to this view in that section of the London press which is advising England to leave Europe to its fate, and not bother about events across the English Channel, but devote immediate attention to the cultivation of trade within the Empire, spread over the Seven Seas. From this we may infer that Britain is tiring of the situation. Thnt the uncompromising attitude of France in tho act. to drive Germany headlong to national bankruptcy, is exhausting British patience, and Europe is to be left to take care of itself. It will be a sad day internationally if tlie mere desire for expediency should carry Europe to such a state. Great Britain haa international responsibilities no less than the national, She is the

•strong nation of the Northern Hemisphere, the best equipped by tradition and resources to grapple with a great issue, which, if thero is to bo real ■ eaie, must be handled circumspectly, ilritr.in male great sacrifices for others in tiro war period. It would appear that her sacrifices for others in this period of seeming peace, must bo greater still. She has to subordinate her own interests; to see her own share of the reparations dwindle away—in order that, other nations may be rehabilitated. 11l short, Britain is again to play another great part, and to show to all the world that lier desires are for humanity and not merely for power mid self. Evidently there can be no real peace till the Powers humble themselves and forgive their debtors a.s they did in the peace pact, their offenders.