The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1921. ANZAC DAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1921. ANZAC DAY.

To those who recall the memory of Anzac Day it is an indication as to how time flies to realise 'that it is eleven years now since the fateful landing on the foreign shore. Much has happened since then. The Great War itself was enacted with all its horrs and devastation. History has been crowded with many momentous events. The pathway of peace itself has been rendered rough and rugged by surprising happenings. The world at the moment has many great difficulties before it. Our own- Empire has its crises to face. Hut with ah the memories of Anzac Day are far from effaced or overshadowed oven. The Australian and New Zeaanld forces on that great day faced ordeal by fife, and won through. The first news of the feat to reach us publicly was a pean of praise for the wonderful performance, for the notable hearing of the troops in action There was elation and joy at the reported success, to be all too soon discounted by the great price paid for a passing victory. But it wins all part of a great campaign ; and as events went in those desperate days, an incident in the war Investigation and enquiry since have revealed the military shortcomings of the task set the British troops, and their inadequate support for so groat purpose. But “ their’s' not to reason why” ; and as far as human endeavour could succeed, the colonial troops won out. And so they won their fame; and in history they will he forever famous. The story of the war, and its immediate results, are too sadly recent to need recnpitulation to-day; hut it is impossible that such a momentous anniversary should pass into the limbo of the past without the chords of memory being strangely stirred, nor without recalling briefly the great, grave differences to us all that the war has created. Such remembrances are inevitable and natural, but it is to he feared that the feelings they will raise will in the main give little satisfaction. IYe speak not of the memories of the loved and honored deed; such memories as those are too sacred to he allowed discussion. But- the objects with which we entered upon the war; the hopes that animated us; the pure fire of the indignation which actuated our nation to its initial step; the passionnto patriotism, ns a contemporary has said, whic-h swept us like a golden storm; the grandeur of the heroism which proved that it, like love, could suffer all things; the gladness of {lie

ultimate dawn of peace—these tilings we must surely recall. Ami, sadly too, wo must admit that as assets they look small enough upon the balance sheet of our memory, whereon the liabilities loom so large and black. The loss of our thousands of young manhood, the cruel incidence of hardship upon mind, body and estate, the sickness of hope deferred, the pain of rude awakening, the agony of knowing faith betrayed and ideals shattered — all these must he remembered, too. But even they are not the gravest charges to lie entered upon that grievous audit. All these wc could have suffered, knowing them to ho most certainly incidental to all such arbitraments between the clashing powers of the world ; all these we could remember now with resignation, and even with sonic feeling of honourable satisfaction. if we could but- feel at the same time that they had in the end worked out together for our good. But can we? There- dm be hut one answer to the question. Where is the peace these things were hound to bring us if we could but suffer them a little while? We cry. “Peace, peace l’ ! aiid there is no peace. The world to-day is full ot bitterness, and the prospect before us is not bright. Yet wc have the present in our own keeping and are ourselves shaping the future. It does seem that the League of Nations is not going to he I lie llictor it should to bring world peace. The latest development is an indication of difficulties in the way in which suggest a testing time. Wc have bellicose leaders proclaiming their intention to proclaim their ‘‘rights” by might. Ye have industrial difficulties which threaten to overwhelm. And so peace seems vorv far off. Let us hope that once again (as in the war) that the darkest hour is looming before the dawn of victory. A\ c owe it to those who sacrificed themselves on the attnr of war that peace might prevail, to see that the sacrifices were not in vain. That as sensible people awakened to the stern rciilities of war and its consequences, we will not tarry in a fool’s paradise but will strive luff peace, honour, and goodwill. It is the greatest national service wc can give; it will lie the greatest tribute we can pay lo the memory of those who fell on Anzae Day that after tfcpt "o might live nation free. This is the time (if generous remembrance and readiness for renewed saeriliie in the right spirit.