ARMISTICE DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1929, Page 6

ARMISTICE DAY

PRESIDENT HOOVER’S ADDRESS.

THE POSITION OUTLINED

(United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) .

(Received this- day at 8 a.m.))WASHINGTON, Nov. 11

Mr Hoover delivered an Armistice Day address. He declared: “The world to-dav is comparatively at peace. The outlook for a peaceable future is more bright than lor hall a centum pfist, yet after all it is an armed pence. Men underpinrms total almost thirty, millions in number, or nearly ten millions more than before the Great Mar. Moreover, due to Washington Arms Conference and destruction of the German navy, combatant ships in the world show some decrease since the war but aircraft and other instruments of destruction are far more potent than ever in the Great "War. There are fears of distrust and smouldering injuries among nations which are the tinder of war, as fierce as in any single quarter of a century during all ages. Human experience warrants the assumption that war will not again occur.”

The President then made optimistic references to the Kellogg Pact and other evidences of goodwill. He,then dwelt upon the'‘necessity of protecting citizens ; in-' various quarters -of the globe, after which he continued We -must realise there are many unsolved .problems of boundaries between the nations. There are peoples aspiring to a greater measure of sell-govern-ment. There are tears of invasion and ‘domination bequeathed to all humanity -from former wars. There are a host of age-old ‘controversies whose spectres haunt the world which any time may touch tiie springs of fear and dlwill. We must frankly accept the fact, •therefore, that we and all nations of the world will be involved for all future time in small or great controversies arising out of all those multiple causes.” The President later said: “We need further -to extend our - treaties with other countries, providing methods for reference of controversies to a conference which will inquire into the facts Or refer the matter for arbitration or judicial determination. We have need to define the rules for the conduct ol the nations and formulate an authoritative system of international law. "Wo . have need, under proper reservations, ..to support the "World Court in order' that we may secure a judicial determination of certain types of controvert : sites and, build up precedents which add ito the body of international law.”

Referring to the United States interest in the means for assuring settlement of international controversies, Mr Hoover said: “There are to-day two roads to that end. European nations have by covenant of the .League of Nations-agreed, that -if nations -fail to. settle differences peacefully , then, force should ,be applied by other nations to compel them to, be reasonable. We refused to travel this road. Wo were confident that at least in the Western Hemisphere public opinion will suffice to check violence. This is the road we propose to travel.” Later lie declared : “ We must, where opportunity offers', work steadfastly to remove the deeper causes and frictions which lelul to disputes and illwill. One of those clauses is competition in armaments.” ■ • ' ■ ' •

After outlining the evils of armament, the President continued: “It is first and foremost to rid ourselves of this danger that I again initiate initial negotiations. I. am full of confidence in tlie success of tlie conference which will assemble next January. In setting up this conference we have already agreed with Britain that there should be a parity of naval strength between ns. 1 am in hopes there will be a, serious reduction in navies as a relief to the economic burdens of all peoples and I believe men and women throughout the world demand such a reduction. We must reduce and limit warships by . agreement only. I have no faith in reduction of armaments by example alone, until such time as the nations can build up agencies for pacific settlement on stronger foundations. Until fear, the most dangerous of all national emotions, has been proved groundless, by a long proof of international honesty and until the power of world public opinion, as a restraint of aggression, has had many years test, there will not he established that con-; fidence which warrants the abandonment of preparedness for defence among nations. To do so may invite war. We will reduce our naval strength in proportion to any other. Having said that, it only remains for others to say how low they will go. It cannot be too low for us.”

He then referred to “ another of these age-old controversies which stir men’s minds with fear. That is the so-called freedom of the seas. In reality in our day it is simply the rights of private citizens to trade in time of war, for, .there is to-day a complete freedom of .the seas in times of peace. T am going to have the temerity to put forward an idea which might break through involved legal questions and age old interpretations of right and wrong by a practical step which would solve a large part of tlie intrinsic problem. It would act as a preventative as well as a limitation of war. I offer it only for consideration of tlie world. I have not made it a governmental proposition to any nation. I know that any wide departure from the accepted ideas requires a long and searching examinations.

“ Tliis is not a position for the forth- | coming naval conference as that session j is ■!'or a. definite purpose and this'pro-j

posal will not he injected into it for manv years.

“ Born of poignant personal experience 1 have hehl that food ships should be made free of any interference in wartime. .1 would place all laden solely with food supplies on the same footing as hospital ships. The time has come when we should remove tlie starvation of women and children from the weapons of warfare.” Continuing, the President said: “Fear of interruption in sea-borne food supplies lias powerfully tended towards naval development in both important exporting nations.” ..Emphasising the necessity, beyond all tilings, of building a spirit of goodwill and friendliness, and creating respect and confidence as a guarantee of peace, the President- concluded: “It was in this endeavour I visited the Presidents of the South American Republics. That is why I welcomed the Prime .Minister of Great Britain to the United States. All these men have talked of their problems in a spirit charged with the gravest responsibility not only for our own relations but for tlie, peace-and safety of the world. “We thought out and lived together as men cannot think in diplomatic notes. We made no committments, we drove no discussions to a final conclusion. We explored areas of possible constructive action and possible controversies. We examined the pitfalls of international relations frankly and openly. .“With all this wider understanding of mutual difficulties'' and aspirations, we can each in our own sphere better contribute to a broader goodwill, to assist those forces which make for peace in the world and to curb those forces which make for distrust.”

COUNTING THE COST

(Received this day at 9.40 a.m.) Sydney, Nov. 12. The Coni pirn fwenlth War Historian, Captain C. I*3. Bean, in addressing the Coii'Sliitutioel Asisouia-t-ion said that from statistical information available, more ban ten .million men were killed in the war, while since tlie war, ten million had died from, war effects. The capital cost was well over forty thousand million sterling, apart from the losses due to the disturbance of trade and industries. Australia lost over sixty thousand killed, and an additional twenty thousand had since died from war effects. Great Britain lost seven hundred* and fifty thousand men killed at the war, and other parts of tlie British Empire nine hundred and n. „y thousand. The Allies as a whole lost about six millions killed, and the enemy forces, approximately, four millions.

ARMISTICE PAY INCIDENTS

(Received this day at,lo a.m.) LONDON, November 11

There was a typical grey Noveriiber morning accompanied by a drizzle during the silence us the setting to the Armistice ceremony -at the Cenotaph. The Whitehall. w ( as jjgnsely thronged. It was a touching service. Tlie Prince of Wales in the uniform, of'-,a ...Colonel of the Welsh Guards, 'represented His Majesty. The most notable incident was the procession of the folders of the Victoria Cross to deposit a huge wreath of poppies in the form of a Victoria Cross.

• .Sir Janies l’an- placed a wreath on behalf of New Zealand.

r The Union .Jack for tlie first time for ten years, flfew over Rothershithe Town HJiII, displacing the Red Flag. !t is believed that some young men traversing the roof tops last night climbed the pole and tore down the Red Flag and hoisted the Union Jack. They cut the halyards, and greased the pole The Union Jack was still fluttering during the tworininutos’ silence. Wearing two Victoria Crosses won ;by her dead sons, Mrs A. M. Bradford was among the scores placing wreaths on the Kolkstone war memorial. A third sou von the Military Cross and died of wound ;.' A fourth son won the D.MO.