THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1919. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, 20 January 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1919. EDITORIAL NOTES.

The League Of Nations. The proposed Lpague of Nations, that is engaging the attention of the wholo world to-day, is no new thing; indeed, on investigation, it proves to have been prominently before the public hundreds of years ago—a fact which goes to give still more weight to the old saying that “there is nothing new under the sun.’’ We find that William Penn '(the founder of the Utopian Stato of Pennsylvania), in or about the year 1692, in a little production, entitled “An Essay towards the future*Peace of Europe,” enquires in!to the polity of nations—the causes ! that lead to war —the conditions nee.es- | sary to peace. He finds that the great i aim of statesmanship is to secure ; j; oa cc and order, and lie demonstrates that these ends are to be obtained more readily and certainly by justice than by war. But the question then occurs. How can justice bo obtained for nations except by force? He reviews the history of society, and finds that in early times individuals stood in the place of States; every man assumed the right, to bo a judge in his own cause—every man claimed to be lvis own avenger..' As society advanced from .a ruder to a more'civilised form, the . individuals bound themselves to j submit to general restrictions—to give l U p the.’old, right of judging and aveng- ! ing their-own quarrels for the public, j good. Why,then should not Europeans | do for themselves that which Colts anti Teutons, Franks and Scandinavians j liav.c already done on a-smaller- scale? ! PEnn added: “As England has its Par- ; liamcnt, France., its Statcs-GcnOral, I Germany its Diet—each in its sphere | overruling -private, passion why [should not Europe-have her Congress? \ jiefore this sovereign council disputes I of nation and nation should bo heard, and its'decisions carried out by the united power of Europe.” He refer roe , to Henri Qu'atro ajid liis League of j Peace, and proved from the. United Provinces that peace might easily be kept if kings and statesmen would but try. The obstacles .to be met with today are more far-reaching than in the reign of King James It., and to secure the peace of nations seems a. superhuman task; but the principles enun- ! elated by Ihp celebrated Quaker arc as true to-day as they were over two hundred years ago, and a solution of the great ” problem is not -insuperable. Meanwhile the whole world awaits ■with breathless interest the result of | il,o deliberations of the greatest Conference of potentates and statesmen the world has ever seen, firmiy hoping that the wisest counsels will' prevail, and that as a result there may bo promulgated that League of Nations that will ensure the peace of the world for many centuries at least. Unjust Criticism. Alleged Our editorial on “A Bar to Progress.in a recent issue, has evidently been read with a meaning which we had no intention of conveying. At the last meeting of the Otaki Town Board, Commissioner Rikibaua complained that our remarks were uncalled for, and that it was unfair criticism. He also inferred that the “Mail” was “getting at the Maoris.” Now this is no" correct. Wc stated the position plain!v, and contend that lie stated itimpartially- Wo did not blame the Maoris for their attitude, and said not a word derogatory to the Natives, whom we hold in the highest esteem, ’ and whose interests wc have always * endeavoured to uphold. We hasten to {assure the Natives on this point. Bcj cause wc contended that the presence of such a largo number of Maoris in the town naturally had a tendency to hinder progress, that does not reflect in the sightest against the Maoris themselves. The Maoris have a per- ■ feet right to their own opinions, ami to vote as they' deem best for their own interests.