ANZAC DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1919, Page 7

ANZAC DAY.

OF HALLOWED AND IMPERISHABLE MEMORY. THE DAWN OF A GLORIOTJS FAILURE. "These hills .... were the scenes of some of the noblest heroism which ever went far to atone for the infamy of war." The Australian and N.Z. Army Corps and the Royal Naval Division who made up half the army . . . had not had more than six months' training. Ihey wae, however, the finest body of young men ever brought together in modern tiuiee. For physical beauty and not-'ilty of bearing they surpassed any men I liave ever seen, and reminded me of a line in Shakespeare: 'Baited like eagles, having lately bathed.'" "Np army in history lias made a more beroie attack; no army in history has been set such a task- . . ■ Ouv men achieved a feat without parallel in war, and no other troops in the ivorld (not even the Japanese or Ghazis in the hope of Heaven) would have made good those beaches on April 25 " ■ "They came ashore across corpses and wrecked boats and a path like a road in hell, with ruin and blasts and burning."

"Then Roland said: Here we shall receive martyrdom, and now I know well that we have but a moment to live. But may all be thieves who do not sell themselves dearly first."—-Song of Poland.

"'Still,' our enemies say, 'you did net will the peninsula'. We did not; and some day when truth will walk cleareyed, it will be (known why we did not. Until then let our enemies say thU: 'They did not win, but they came . . . a little aimy, without reserve, and short of a band of b .-others not half of them trained and nearly all of them new to war. They came to what we said was an impregnable fort, on which our veterans of war and massacre had labored for two months, and by sheer naked manhood they beat us, and drove us out of it. Then rallying, but without reserves, they beat us again and drove us Then rallying once more, but still without reserves they beat us again, this time to our knees. Then, had they had reserves they would have conquered, but by God's pity they had none. Then, after a lapse of time, when we were men again, they had reserves, and they hit us a staggering blow, which needed but a push to end us, but God again had pity. After that our God was indeed pitiful, for England made no further thrust, and' they wejjt away."

"Even so was wisdom proven blind, So courage failed, so strength was chained; Even bo the gods, whose seeing mind Is not as ours ordained." —From John Masefield's "Gallipoii"

"Our eight months at Anzac .... made better men of every one of us, for we have all had to look death straight in the face so often, that the greater realities of. life, must have been impressed on all of us in a way which has never before been possible .... It has helped us all to have been with strong men at Anzac, and whatever the future may have in store 1 personally shall always regard the time I have been privileged to be a comrade of the brave and strong men from Australia and New Zealand, who have served alongside of me as one of the greatest privileges that could be conferred on any man, and of which I shall be prouder to the end of my days, than any honor which can be given. No words of mine can ever convey to readers at their fireside in Australia and New Zealand and the Old Country one half of what all their boys have been through, nor is my poor pen capable of telling them of the never-failing courage, determination and cheerfulness of those who have so willinelv fought and given their lives for their King and country's sake. Their deeds are known to the Empire, and can never be forgotten "—General Sir W. R. Birdwood. in an "Introduction" to "The Anzac Book."

"And now, before attaching to this dispatch my final signature as Com-mander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, let me first pay tribute to the everlasting memory of my dear comrades who will return no more. Next, let me thank each and all. generals, staff, regimental leaders, and rank and file, for their wonderful loyalty, patience and aelf-sacrifioe. So T bid them all farewell, with a special to the campaigners who have served with me right through from the terrible yet more "lorious earlier davs—the incomparable 29th Division, the voung veterans of the Naval Division, the ever victorious Australians and New Zen landers. the stout Eapt Lanes., and my own bTave fellow-countrymen of the Lowland Division of Scotlnnd.—General Sir lan Hamilton, in his Official Dispatch.

So wrote the lenders of the men who participated in that glorious adventure, and no words of those who were but distant spectators of their wonderful deeds can add anything to the glory of the triumph of that grand failure. Suffice it to sav that the day on which the impossible was accomplished has been enshrined in hallowed memory by millions of hearts and will remain a day of solemn, humble recognition as long au memory lasts. YESTERDAY'S SERVICES. In keeping with the spirit of the occasion solemn services of recognition were held in New Plymouth, conducted by the ministers of the several churches. Botli Everybody's and the People's picture theatres were filled to overflowing with reverent and devout crowds, to pay homage to the memory of the men who fought and fell and died on that great day four years ago. The returned soldiers and the veterans attended at Everybody's and the Citizen' Band witli High School Cadets, under Captain Ryder, and a troupe of Boy Scouts, attended at the People's The service* were identical at each place. EVERYBODY'S THEATRE. At Everybody's the Rev. A. Campbell Sievewriglit presided, and there were also on the platform his Worship the 'Mayor (Mr C. H. Burgess), the Revs. J. Napier Milne and F. G- Harvie, Commandant Rowlands, of the Salvation Army, and Mr. W. J. Chaney, deputychairman of the Patriotic Committee. The Rev. F. G. Harvin read the prayers, ami the lessons were read by the Rev. A. C. Sievewriglit. and were tnken from Isilinh 01, nnil Rev, 7 Tin* hvuns, •■'»■} ii 11 were led by a orviie-itra. I'mler t!i« 'direction of Mrs George, l»ollifSed "0 find Our Help,** "Le*t. Wei I iu""-r.'' "i''!'Tii<U i'litiiej'," mid "For nil Ui» Jiftiat8 f "

REV. NAPIER MILNE'S ADDRESS. The address was given by the Rev. J. Napier Milne, and was as follows: You meet to-day In circumstances very different from those in which you gathered a year ago. A year ago the German offensive was in full swln?, our line was broken, the Channel ports were imperilled, enemy 31013 were bombarding Paris, London had the unwelcome experience of an air raid every other night and sometimes for several n'ghts together; many were shaking their heads and predicting disaster for the Allies. It was a dark hour, but it was the darkness which preceded the dawn. For the most part we refused to believe in the ultimate victory of might over right; we held the faith that the nation that defied tlio great moral and spiritual laws ot' the universe was pitting itself agaluet God, and was therefore, hound to be broken in the process. On April 14 Marshal Foch was appointed Generalissimo, and after a while a change in our fortunes began. American troops poured in, the Allied offensive was resumed, and point by point the German hordes were driven backwards, till, at the beginning of October, they saw that their cause was hopeless. Had not the Lord been on our side ivn must have gone down before the terrific onslaughts of the prepared Uerinan hosts. We give thanlis to-day to that Almighty Power Whose face is against them that do evil. REMEMBERING THE BRAVE.

But because the war is over we are not going to forget the daring exploits of the brave men whose sacrifice and endurance helped to bring us nearer the peace. Galllpol' was an expedition about which there is going to bo endless debate amongst the historians of the future. We made fatal mistakes and had cruel losses which ought never to have occurred; we came very near to a great triumph. But of one thing we shall never stand in doubt—the expedition was marked by the loftiest heroism ever exhibited in the annals of battle. As one who lived In London as recently as the signing of tbo armistice, 1 believe 1 speak for the people In the Homeland when I say that no deed of tbo war more deeply thrilled their hearts than the deed which we celebrate to-day. The Anzacs gave themselves, In living and In dying. In living—enduring the bitter hardships of the campaign without a word of complaint; in dying —for many have made the supreme sacrifice, and they sleep their last sleep under the bloodred soil of Gallipoii. That which makes the sacrifice of one's young life even In a uoble cause so splendidly heroic, is the fact that it is the sacrifice of every relation and delight, so far as this lower •world Is concerned, which here have been acraunted true riches. It is to offer the sum total of life with all Its affections and hopes and joys and honors and inspirations. Verily Greater love hath no man than a man lay down his life for his friend." We cannot but remember also to-day the love that gave; the fathers and mothers who allowed their sons to go forth to sacrifice and death; boys with fair and honorable careers opening before them, In whom the proudest hopes of their parents were centred, and to whom they looked to caiTy on the family name. We think of the achievements of olber surrendering arms • of wireß and sisters and sweethearts who held not back their dearest and best, and whose sorrow Is touched by a new poignancy every time a I draft of men comes homo because their men will never come back to them. They have no regrets, they cherish a proud memory, but they are human. Proudly and pathetically they say "Fallen in Honor's cause, thank God, but ay I But ay 1 A FITTING HONOR. How shall we worthily honor, the men whose heroic deeds we call to mind to-day? Ido not think it Is enough to proclaim a public holiday to erect a monument, to set apart another reserve for the people, to get up, an entertainment and have a time, to invito the returned soldiers and veterans to u tea meeting Buch forms of celebrations are not to be despised; they are expected and tliey are appreciated. But a worthy celebration of Anzac Day must include mare than these thingsive must strive for the accomplishment of the ateai objects for which the Aaizacs gave their live, riiey went forth to fight against tyranny aim wring; against the devilish doctrine that mignt was right; against the arbitrament of the sword, It Is lor us then to beud our energies to the task of making this world a better : place to live in; it la for us to rattle to the ground the shackles which still bind the oppressed; remove conditions that create Bolshevism. It Is for us, in particular, perslsteutiy to refuse to accept war as a permanent condition of huinaji society. THE NECESSITY OF WAR.

Personally, continued the speaker, I iiave never been able to brbig myself to believe that the special fuuetion of the righteous nation is to be passively tleeced by the unrighteous nation ; that it Js the duly of a Christian people to stand meekly by while women are ravished and children murdered and precious liberties ivmi nl rom hands of the human taoo. While there remain barbarian elements in human nature we must be prepared to resist them and keep ihem In check. At the samo time we must rcognlse that war, however we may mask its horrors, and however just It may sometimes oe, is, at best, a loathsome .and hateful necessity. Wien It is waged for the sake of Slag some hideous wrong, the God ot overv rlShteous battle Is In It. But I refuse to aceopt the popular statement that war is'a noble thing taj itself, liven In a righteous war the ugly and the base strive perpetually for mastery with the beautiful and the good. Those who never want wars to end are usually thoes who make fortunes out of them; those who have nllZ- ee "'" tluj treuches themselves and have nevei faced the music of the guns. I believe the piujer of the Ancient Psalmist la about to be answered. The men who delight in war are going to be scattered and scattered in great confusion by those, who, in Gallipoii aiid elsewhere, have borne the brunt of the cruel

We are beginning to feel about war as we m o »n' O about due < Un E- Time was when, if a s?™?, i ODOr was i nsulted 'here was nothing for osehis HfTfii . g ' ""J!, the 1,,8ult «l might lose his life just as readily as the man who diotii n for e wor t Ii iD ' 'i' lllg seema " ow to ° courV^r < tte^^^ h ?ha W t I^v:^,ll^^ tTon°ot dweSgf COnsequonce of "w "WITHE DAV OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. lie'P us God! War shall go iho way of all the evils that afflict mankind. We who £ray Qive peace m our time, 0 God," must have our (.onscixiuces quickened on this matter, and must dc what we can to familiarise tfie minds of other men to the thought of arbitration and bv tlJv °" th f, u ' agu<i of Nations formulated Coutoel >ce. With both hands earnestly we must labor for the day when "all versa. »»»'» uni And " SllttU acrosa the And, Anally, wq must frequently curce our indivltal'n ' he ll !? ,0! ', of this motion, "Are we individually worthy of the sacrifices that have been made on our behalf? Since tbo war life m/'S™ a new F a . ,1 » for * ou Wo have been rescued from a great nerfi and means thnt'our bl |k U ° f brother men.' That mnrJ ■ our lii es must be grander, nobler That rael,ns lliat drunken"n awfut^in 3 a vT at Crl !! ,e ' that s *lflshness Is fiL , e raaJ ' 110 ve done our bit in ut lf wo are consistent we shall go Jhnii sa . nie splrlt of aelf -sacrlflce and we shall persuade our fellows to do likewise Some years ago I heard Lof(| Robbery nil. ClasLw ni ['"l ? f u , nl 'Mßity students in of lf?Vihlr U 6 n,lr lhe faml "ar story j I, tel Scott. When he was nearim* hit fn d n h , IS . lo,*™I o ,*™" 1 ""- be" over tto dytag g|„S to catch his parting words. ••Lockhart *'S ""v,: 1 T y h , aVe but a mlm tte to spoak you. Mj dear, be a good man • hn *•!». aivp S 'vn,? really # gootl man - Nothing else will -^'EuSKif^srS make us worthy of the lives laid tto greatest conflict thai the worid has™™

at THE PEOPLE'S, 1 ht service at the People's was presifled over by the Rev. 0. Blundell, and there were also on the platform the Veil. Archdeacon Evans, Rev. H. L. Richards and Mr. W. A. Collis, deputy Mayor. ilie lessons were read by the Rev. 0. Miuidell, and were taken from Isaiah 49. 13-23, and Revelations 21,1-8. The prayers were led by the Rev. H. L. Richards, ihe singing was led by the Citizens' • tlle hymns being the same as those sung at the other theatre. ARCHDEACON EVANS" ADDRESS. The address was given by the Veil. Archdeacon Evans and was based on First Chronicles, 12 „ TUe /hapter, he said, described the ioronat<on of David as King of Israel, and after detailing the arrival of the various tribes and "' n,e9 for the ceremonies, the speaker Xnc*%<£*?* """ aSd In! spiling s.gli* to see a larEe body of men adlancing in period formation, In what is called " he poetry of movement." But such a spec!nn ' S • ? y , the o,ltwar d expression of the i spirit of discipline that exists amomr the wS\vehel: Tl,at , i 3» "J 13 d ' sc 'P'in". abom which we hear so much 1 It is simply obedience to law— the recognition of authority Now we are circumscribed by law in every department Continuing Ifl.npossl l f l . npossll > ,c , ,0 fro n> »■ tiie nrciidencon said- "w#> nnm traThnt I '\L t0 "» nj I tt J° famous landing oi' cur Steful Ara-ll '•? ?„„r nie " ° n <;a)11 P ol '. »n that Hindu in ™ v,onu «rtul attacks ever dlsciiill'iVtn 1' 1 ', #5 ' ' wve had rare ii.i' . "on tlioso barren stopin»ivf>nt L™men r oVa rr-Tln ' ,ro ™'l "'wrasdveMo m ! invi •( • i' *" ceil, 'il)lt3 to l(6oi) rank, •jni-i

shield of his .steering wheel this message: "England expects every man on this bargo to do his duty." Ha was living up lo Lord Nelson's great tradition. It Is the hope of every one of us tliat our boys will never again have to flght for King and country, because the heroes of the Allied Nations have suffered untold agonies to preserve the rising generation from the horrors of war. Much of their suffering will have been in vain unless war is absolutely destroyed. Surely the sacrifice of eight millions of grand men is a great enough price to pay for permanent peace I THE SPIttIT OF COMRADESHIP. "But it Is not only in warfare that we need to keep rank," said the speaker. "The spirit of comradeship, unity and discipline Is needed !n every department of life. The wgrkl never needed more than It does to-day meu prepared to stand together, to keep rank, to suffer for one another. Discipline in not confined to military or commercial life; It is also essential to the higher moral and religious growth of the people, for without obedience to law and authority there can be no consistent morality, and no real, helpful and comforting religion. Our moral nature is governed by eternal laws which cannot be broken without the most serious consequences. We hear a good deal nowadays about the need for efficiency, and morality Is essential to the creation of Individual and national efficiency. By morality, I mean that attitude of mind and purpose by which men obtain a proper conception of real goodness and consequently do their duty, not from motives of caprice, or expediency, but accordin" to the high standard of righteousness. LABOR'S ASPIRATIONS.

We are living," continued the speaker, "in, a time of tremeudous tension and transition file problems of the day are almost too complex to be understood or solved. The call to com* radeahlp and brotherliness la insistent One of the most difficult questions of the day is thl« • How are those who have to work by maouai labor to improve their conditions, and obtain an actuate return for their work? Things cannot remain long as they are. We must sympathise with the legitimate aspirations of Labor especially in the great centres ,£ A. or our Ua l , " lne8 « Is linked up with theirs whether we realise it or not." Sneakine in those who labor with their hands he said? \our aspirations can only be perfectly realised i by the recognition of the whole people-those who work with musclo, those who wort with brain, those who have capital, and those wh capual Is labor. The great reforms of the past have been caused by waves of moral conviction sweeping over the whole population, which ™ power on Earth could withstand. And 1 n. u9 ? bo the same with Industrial reforms? If They are to be adequate and permanent AH nm«i keep rank and work together for he com Ton good. Class warfare is a' huge miXni™w? ! ® trika 13 antiquated weapon. The go-alow policy only aggravates the troublo. Co?onera Hon must be the motto of the future \v* Itt seeing to-day that violence, robbery aid 11 rfu^T^er »tSt. - o n,aSr and woman In the community Every Of 'me people of the righteous e« I wrongs and they will be rS a ' ( f 3 the people-of your'detcrmlnati.h? . o^v * nce Labor will K | VO a conscientious (h,t mom. received and von e thaT i w '' ivlng wage. Yoi) m, thon <Wnd r* " homes, surrounded by garde™ ta «M l, i enlont children can plav—not houses '! yollr small allotments that C L® ac 1 « a l on with your neighbors through fh„ ®J* t ak ,° hands unfortunately, is the oasa with wlndo ™. as, this town, which whHa nnilthi llouse3 In friendship, l a „ot to comfit J " . conduc '™ to if some of you aro i,, i r "f 11 "' And harshly for their- apathetL chm 'ches | towards the groat "social'P"t solution, remember (hat Jesu, « demaild democrat that ever lived ami it „ ,i? « rea t™t , the principles He "mi Z 'L"W ttroll e h mocracy will reach 't a perfec't ° e ' "is tare no C mSrhere al f ! h ® "'^dearon, of their"™'""l 30 "" »»"*«!?"fw fill auttlement of disputes • whi?« v" t ole , peaee " "<R for the improvement of S I ®.««. b , 0r i 3 unlt " unlty Is In the air breaking q !°!? s '* upon the world; shall the PhrL< ri raßraßce main divided? T), a nk Godf th ? Churoh retlon unity i, h. S ii h j! spl,it °* Cl>rlsthfl time has come for reOZ ?? lo °- snil stand shoulder to shoulder 1° bring peace and salvation tq the s M to The spirit of Intolerance if ~ 5 World, the dark ages, is past; snlmdid „ 11 isolation means splendid annfhni?! eccl « sla atlMl Eire credit for wCt is Chr Wlito T,' XV™* "an people, and never form? Tv, J n 011 Chrls " be Judged by their fruits Ire 'ih ! nen are t0 »nd not by their beliefs onl'v WrkiT conduct . us keep rank untir».» » n P eo Pte. lished which alone can Un ii y Mtabour Master's claim unon th e worla ot worship of mankind m «w»es and morial (q om. P nijf,' n * £ be ft fitting methey h«d° for the country and Sacri a« d »" can look down unon w»V . ? oc us : )f they tile grandest brotherhood ik'S n ? V ui,6d 1" •r highest ldoats, makliiß vlnE "P "Od s own couuti'v ' tn very deed "is fuinneSifa far w7,^ Ch °" r P?a^