Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1945. HISTORIC YEAR ENDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 68, 31 December 1945, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1945. HISTORIC YEAR ENDS

1945—a year of tremendous history-making - —a year which has seen the overthrow of forces which plunged the world into the greatest war ever known—a year which has brought peace, is fast drawing to a close. It has been a year worthy of more than mere passing notice, even though most people would be glad to forget the past and look forward only to the future. Looking back over the year, we are reminded of many things, but chiefly we remember that it was the period in which the United Nations finally triumphed over Germany and Japan, the notorious leaders of which now stand at the bar of justice to answer for their crimes against humanity. It will lie recalled that the great British leader, Winston Churchill, in one of his famous speeches which served to hold the Empire steadfastly to its task, hinted late in 1944 that there would be big events before the leaves of .autumn fell. Those events comprised* the final effort of the Allies to gain a foothold on the Continent in the face of heavy odds. The efforts succeeded, but they did not come any too soon, for Germany was preparing deadly weapons which, had they been unleashed, Would have prolonged the war. But the armies of the United Nations liberated war-torn Europe and freed millions of people. They also saved the British people from further pain, suffering and material loss caused by flying bombs, which wrought as much destruction and caused as heavy a deathroll as the worst blitz London experienced.

Staggering Surprises 1945 was also a year of epochmaking events and staggering surprises. Few were prepared for the swift collapse of Germany, and the even swifter downfall of Japan, although the manner in which events were shaping early iii the year gave rise to hope that peace was just over the horizon, On August. 14 came Mr Attlee’s historic words: “Japan has this day surrendered, The last of our enemies is laid low.” Six feats of conflict, which cost millions of lives in battle,'in concentration camps, through starvation and cruelty, had come to an end, but the path of peace remained uneasy. Gradually the forces of the United Nations took over the occupation and control of the aggressor countries, only to find that peace had brought its problems no less difficult than war. Germany was completely subdued, and the task of control and rehabilitation seemed smooth but a conflict of policy between the Major Powers manifested itself, and even now, many months after the firing of the last shot, the outlook is none too rosy. Japan was something of a different proposition because of the way of life of the people, but the application of firm measures has resulted in control more successful than was at first contemplated.

Historic Conferences 1945, too, has been a year oi historic conferences. Firstly there was the Council of Foreign Ministers, upon which high hopes were set, but it failed to achieve its objective. The absence of a workable agreement has ied many to the belief that the successor to the League of Nations, the United Nations Organisation, will meet a similar fate, but it is unwise to condemn something which is hardly yet in being. The end of lend-lease, which placed Britain in a serious financial position, and the subsequent negotiations which led to a financial agreement between Britain and America were other noteworthy events which are likely to affect the future of many nations. t The beginning of 1945 saw the world in an awful mess, but on this eve of another year the planet is comparatively clean; that is, clean of the forces*which sought by the foulest means imaginable to impose their will on subjected peoples. Other forces are still operating, however, and tlit* task ahead is to rid the world of these also, so that all men may live in peace; so that all men may enjoy freedom of speech, freedom from want, freedom of religion and freedom from fear. Industrial strife has raised its ugly head in many countries, and as more and more men and women are relieved from wartime duties, the task of rehabilitation will become the harder. To solve the many problems which the New Year will bring with it, men must either

learn to live together or there will again come a time when they will blow each other to pieces. If the world is to become a better place to live in, then the bitter lessons of the last few years must be taken seriously to heart.