NEW DANGERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1922, Page 5

NEW DANGERS.

THE PERILS OF PEACE. APPEAL TO CHURCHES. FAITH IN THE LEAGUE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—-Copyright. London, July 28. The Nonconformists gave a luncheon to Mr. Lloyd George, who said there had been more drastic legislation on tlie question of drink carried by Parliament during the last couple of years than in the previous half-century. The mass of the population to-day was struggling for daily bread. The most urgent need was for the churches to combine to make war impossible. There were perils of peace as well as of war. The earth was strewn with these growing assumptions that a conflict was corning again soon. “Let the churches learn the lesson,” said Mr. Lloyd George. “There is a building up of new armies. Keep your eyes on what is happening. The result of these armaments will be terrible. They are not to disperse armies, but to attack defenceless cities. If the churches allow that to fructify they had better close their doors.” The next war, said Mr. Lloyd George, if it ever came, would be war on civilisation itself. We had reduced armaments. The army, navy, and air force had given an example to the whole world, but it was difficult for the nation to remain defenceless while other nations were building up armaments for destruction. He attached high hopes to, the League of Nations. It was an essential part of civilisation, which would be safe if the League succeeded. Il it failed civilisation was doomed. The horrors of war which he had seen had made him vow to consecrate his remaining energies to make it impossible for humanity again to pass through the fire of torment, cruelty, horror, and squalor of war.