BANQUET SPEECH

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1929, Page 8

BANQUET SPEECH

J\IH BALDWIN OX PEACE'. LO'XnOX. Xov. 10. The Prime Ai.inNtcr, Mr Baldwin "'as, as usual, the principal guest at the Lord Mayor's banquet at the Guildhall last night. Nine hundred guests were received bv the Lord .Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Sir Kynnston and Lady Studd. ihe Lord Mayor proposing “His Majesty's Ministers,’’ welcomed All' Baldwin. He said that in the long history of the City only once before had an old Etonian been Lord Mayor and been privileged to welcome an Old Harrovian as head of his country’s Government. -Mr iiaidwin in his reply, said there was more and more throughout Europe and tile world a feeling of the necessity of tiie nations getting closer together. He went on : We have all learnt a lesson of conciliation. co-operation, and good will without which progress in the world is impossible. W'itli trance we have sought tlie closest co-oyeraion, and a place during the last live or six years m our relations, which had been marked with certain vicissitudes after the war. i he fact that this improvement lias hoon followed by a striking change in the internal condition of Germany, as well as in her relations with Eranee, is the best proof that close cooperation between London and Paris does not react to the dotirmont of Germany or any other Power. Oil the contrary the expansion of that co-operation into the wider cooperation of Loi-arno still forms the keystone of the European arch and constitutes the policy of this Government. GERAIAXY’S RECOVERY. Look to-day at Germany. Four years ago she had just emerged from the abyss of financial, political, and economical collapse. She has more than re-established her position as a great industrial country. She is on the- high to recover that wealth and prosperity which four years ago she seemed to have irretrievably lost. Her relations with her former enemies are restored to a position ol mutual frankness and understanding. The task in Central Europe, as inother countries, is of internal reorganisation, not only reconstruction, and i think on the whole steady progress is being made. I need not recount to you (he achievents ol Signor Mussolini. The position which Italy occupies to-day, politically, economically, is a proof ol tlie success of the efforts of the ftalans during the last four years. i lie secular friendship between Italy and this country has not only been maintained hut strengthened by the close co-operation of the two Governments. To-morrow is the Coronation of the Emperor of Japan. We wish him a long reign, peace and prosperity. Tho position in China has shown marked signs of improvement. 'flic good relations now existing are the best proof that the Chinese are appreciating our friendly feelings. Now that they have definitely rejected the counsels of the Third International they have realised that these were not given in the interests of China, but in the interests of world revolution. The League of Nations is helping in ways not only obvious to that peace which we all desire. Nothing hut good comes from those constant meetings of statesmen in the League of Nations. When I listened in one morning to the wireless by chance I struck some exquisite music in Merlin and licaid the singing of a hymn. When the mass of the people realise that in whatever country a man lives lie is a human being like himself, with family and a wireless set. with his services on Sunday and dancing in the evening, war will present a very dilFciont aspect . I believe that wireless Avill he one ol the great bonds between the common people, and it is the common people who in the long run will decide whether there will be war or not. Many nations have signed the Kellogg Pact. The result of those signatures will he nothing unless the nations realise to what they are committed, and make up their minds that that signature shall be honoured to the end of time in spirit. Proposing the toast ol the 'Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs, the Prime Minister said:— “ When I was nine or ten years of age, learning cricket at a private school the Studds to me were the finest men in England. They ranked with the King, the Pope and the Prime Minister. If I met them I would take ofi my hat and move off the pavement . “ For the sake of the old days, for what lie was to the hoys of my genornf ion, and for what he lias been all his life to (lie youth of England, I wish the Lord -Mayor and Lady .Mayoress a most prosperous year.”

MR CTTURCHILL. Mr Winston Churchill, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said they wore shortly to embark upon discussions with (<eriiian roprosentaLives of linanoial questious. He added : “The liberation of German finance and soil from foreign interference or control is an object, which we in this country regard ol high value and importance. “ Diplomacy is the art ol telling plain truths without giving offence. Nothing could bo worse than that the public relations of great countries should ho covered with a veneer of admirable sentiments and that underneath all sorts of feelings should not hull effective expression.

“ Important diplomatists should also do the best they can for the country to which they are accredited. I jjjn sure the foreign Ambassadors and Ministers present, when they write home, very'frequently put in their letters about Britain •that site is not so black as she is painted, especially by herself.” LORD ITAfLSHAM’S TILT. The Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailshum said:— “ For eight years 1 worked in a City office before T came to the Bar, and the experience I gained there has been invaluable to me in my professional career. I may even claim to have qualified by business training for the Woolsack. J am old-fashioned enough to prefer that method to the modern practice of qualifying on the Woolsack for a Citv career.”