The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET AUCKLAND TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1929 THE MAKING OF HISTORY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 859, 31 December 1929, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET AUCKLAND TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1929 THE MAKING OF HISTORY

AS each year passes by history is made; and as a year nears its end, there is a desire to assess the importance of major events, and to determine, if possible, the influence they may have on the course of history. Contemporary judgments, however, are difficult to make; for proximity to the events themselves renders the adjustment of perspective difficult. History has been variously described as a record of crime, a distillation of rumour, and a pageant rather than a philosophy. However picturesque writers may be in their definition of history, for contemporary purposes it must always he those events that make the greatest mark on contemporary minds and, through that, influence contemporary courses of action. What of 1929 ? Have there been happenings in this year that are likely to be remembered for the influence they have had on the minds of people living today ? Hope, inspired by optimism, has one answer, and cynicism another. The year is probably the most important of the past decade because of the effort that has been made by great statesmen to secure permanent peace for the world. Throughout the year there has been a frequently expressed resolve to save the world from a repetition of the vast, barbaric folly that brought death to peaceful homes iu every corner of the earth. Resolves that have - no more to commend them than their oratorical setting cannot be accepted as an insurance for the pacific state so sincerely desired by the peoples of all nations; but fortunately there has been more than words to support the peace movements of 1929. During the past few years, the League of Nations has certainly been doing what it could to save the nations from war, and in 1928 its intervention prevented one outbreak between Bolivia and Peru; but that was very remote from the European field, where the real dangers lie. There was gesturing a-plenty at Geneva; but there seemed to be an unwillingness to make any definite commitments. The new phase did not open until the fortunate coincidence of the election which made Mr. Ramsay MacDonald Prime Minister of Great Britain with that which made Mr. Herbert Hoover President of the United States. Mr. Baldwin was quite as sincere in his quest for peace as Mr. MacDonald, but it is not likely that his approaches to Mr. Hoover could have been so successful as those of the present Prime Minister. There was double folly in the drift between the two most powerful nations in the world, more particularly when they were the two above all others that should he united. The position was that the prospect of peace was menaced by misunderstanding between nations that had greater natural bonds than those that could hold any others. Both Mr. MacDonald and Mr. Hoover were impressed by the dangers that were looming, and they set about the task of easing the situation. How this was done is one of the great events of the year, and the meeting of these men in the United States has now become history. Cordiality has been restored to Anglo-American relations, and Great Britain and the United States are now closer to being of one mind on the question of naval disarmament. The other great nations, too, will be given their opportunity to accept the principle of naval disarmament at the Five Power Naval Conference which will be opened by the King at London early in the New Year. These events are important, but there are others as well. During the year the remaining members of the League of Nations signed the Optional Clause to the League of Nations Covenant which provides that all disputes must be submitted to the World Court, and the decision of that court must he accepted. Theoretically, at any rate, the nations have forfeited their right to resort to arms. During the year much has been definitely accomplished in the cause of peace, and. the foundations have been laid for still greater work in the future. Cynics and others, too, may feel that there is yet no guarantee of world peace, and that, of course, is true. The much-desired certainty of peace can come only through evolution in international thought, but it must be admitted—even bearing in mind the world’s annual expenditure of £890,000,000 on armaments —that greater advances have been made in 1929 than in any other year. There is at least more cause for optimism than ever before; and the men who are heading the greatest movement of the time will take their place in the gallery of history, for they are leading the nations down ways that have never been trodden before.

CANADIAN TIMBER

ON sentimental grounds there is every reason why New Zealand should give Canada, a sister* Dominion, preference in allotting her overseas timber orders. But at the same. time the delegation of Canadian millers now visiting New Zealand with the express purpose of opening- up larger markets here does not need to look far for the reasons why Canada has in the past secured no more than a third of the heavy orders sent to the Pacific coast. The American millers operate in a larger way, with greater capital resources behind them, and by utilising the most elaborate labour-saving methods they are able to market their product at a lower figure than Canadian millers can quote. In addition they have been favoured in the past with a better, freight service. The sight of American ships entering the Waitemata laden deck-high with timber is familiar to Aucklanders.

Admitting the discrepancy in prices, the Canadian delegation hopes to offset this by inducing New Zealand to extend Canada a preferential tariff. Thus a reduction in tariff will make up the difference in the price of the American and the Canadian product, and will allow Canada to compete on equal terms. This sounds satisfactory from the point of view of the Canadian exporters, but it is not so satisfactory when it is remembered that New Zealand is still a timber-producing country faced with such acute problems of internal over-production and slackness that she has very little moral right to he extending preferential tariffs to anyone. Furthermore, it is very questionable whether the American millers would submit to the intensified competition without making a counter-move in the way of reduced prices. They themselves have, ironically enough, been submitted to competition in their former preserves on the Atlantic seaboard, and they have shown no reluctance to institute “dumping” tactics in order to get rid of their products and keep the mill-wheels turning. The Canadian timber men are very welcome visitors, and the spirit of enterprise that has prompted their effort is commendable; but it would be preferable that, rather than making New Zealand more dependent on overseas sources of supply, it stinralated New Zealand millers to a fuller realisation of the worth of their own internal markets. The particular requirement of the Canadian delegation might then be met by raising the tariff against American timbers, and letting the Canadian tariff stand as it is ; for to reduce any tariff in the present parlous condition of the New Zealand timber trade would set a very bad precedent indeed.