WORK FOR PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1922, Page 5

WORK FOR PEACE.

NATIONS’ NEW OUTLOOK. SAVING MANY MILLIONS. WAR LESS PROBABLE. By Telegraph.* -Press Assn.—Copyrigtt. Received Feb. 21, 8.10 p.m. London, Feb. 21. The Duke of York attended a Pilgrims’ dinner in honor of Mr. A. J. Balfour. The American Ambassador proposed the toast of Mr. Balfour’s health. Lord Curzon (Foreign Secretary) said that with a stroke of the pen the Washington Conference had reduced the British Budget by £15,000,000. Mr. Balfour had wielded the economic axe with ruthlessness which might bring tears to the eyes of Sir Eric Geddes (chairman of the Economy Committee). Colonel Harvey (United States Ambassador), in a striking speech which was loudly applauded, remarked that much had been said about the sacrifices of the various Powers. The United States, however, made no sacrifices. She had scrapped many costly battleships, abandoned vast projects of fortifications, sniffed at the false pride of becoming the first naval Power, snuffed out what was left of her great army, but all these doings in olved no sacrifices—they constituted a ..oon. Reduced taxes had released millions of money, and had transferred brawn and skill from floating slaughter-houses to shops and factories for building homes and schools. Far from entailing loss and sacrifices, this produced only gain to ourselves and the world. The greatest achievement of the Conference was the revelation of Britain to America and America to Britain.

Mr. Balfour was prevented from speaking for some time by the cheering. He paid a tribute to the work of the Dominion representatives. He declared the accomplishment of the Conference was immense. He did not agree with critics that some transactions at the Conference were inimical to the League of N ations; the League could not have done what the Conference had done. The Conference was not only of advantage to the world’s peoples, but created a new bond of affection in regard to Britain and America.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.