WORLD PEACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 122, 25 May 1928, Page 11

WORLD PEACE.

AN INSPIRING ADDRESS.

MISS ROYDEN'S VIEWS.

DUTY or GREAT BRITAIN.

Some new and striking ideas on the gubjevt of world peace were expressed by Miss Mau3o Royden, addressing a crowded audience at the Lyric Theatre yesterday afternoon. The Hon. George Fowld9' was in the chair.

Inasmuch as every nation has its own particular genius, Miss Royden declared that it was her conviction that the British race was destined to bring peace to i7io world.

"Not that 1 have any sympathy with tliu belieT that we should love all countries as much as we do our own," remarked Miss Royden. "It is as foolish as saying that a woman should love all men as much as she does her husband. Patriotism is an instinct, and in times of stress a very personal one. We do not think then of an Empire, or even of a country, but more often of the little town or village of our birth."

From the Gospels the speaker drew an Interesting analogy. Christ, she maintained, while loving the whole world with a great love, still loved best his own people. The genius of the Jewish race lay in their religion, which had shaped the whole history of their nation. To them, therefore, in view of their long training, Christ had looked for help, but thev failed Him and so their nation perished. With their knowledge, it was their duty to lead the world, but they refused, wishing to keep it to themselves.

"In a similar position stands the British Empire to-day," declared the speaker. "We have special gifts, in that wiv have the faculty for evolving great Weals and of carrying them through, even when they are embodied in dull political formula, and their fulfilment is sordid and imperfect."

England has always been a leader of great reforms, Miss Royden maintained. Her P anient, "the Mother of Parliament. was a fulfilment, however Imperfect, of the national aspirations. If the British Empire, with centuries of such national training behind her, did not make use of these talents, her futo would be that of the Jewish nation. British Leadership. Man's first instinct, continued the speaker, is social, and is growing strong*r while the warlike instinct is dying. In proof of this, she pointed out that the cities of Carlisle and Chester in England were built to defend the country from the wild Scots and savage Welshmen respectively. "And yet," she went on, "I did not see any walls round Dunedin to keep out the ,wild New ZeaInnders." First of all the countries of Europe. Great Britain united her warring tribes into a nation, a process similar to that passed through by America many centuries later, when the United States arose from the wreckage of the Civil War. It was now the duty of these nations, affirmed Miss Rovden, to help other countries to avoid mistakes thev had made. »

Discussing ways and means, Miss Royden said: "In the days when every gentleman carried a sword, and with it 'defended his honour by duelling, England was the first country to see the folly of the custom and destroy it, yet no one said that an Englishman had no honour on that account. Rather, his prestige was greatly increased. That was the greatest moral triumph of my country, and I am jealous that to her should fall the lot of abolishing duelling between countries."

A great move toward the peaceful settlement of international squabbles hnd been made by Britain when the question of compensation ,to America through the Alabama's raids during the Civil War had been submitted to a jury of delegates from disinterested countries. The exorbitant sum decided upon hrfd mused a lot of hard feeHn«r. but Britain, taking the stand that hnvin<? once Submitted to arbitration, she was morallr bound to submit to the decision, had set up a standard for all to follow. War a Crime. "All war is a crime," continued the speaker, "and more so now than ever. Once, a war was purely a local thing, decided by a few trained men, but now whole nations are involved, and a spark ignites the entire civilised world. It is too horribly destructive. It made my blood run cold to hear the report of tlie first meeting of the British Association 'after the war. Advances in surgery and medicine were trifling compared *'ith those in methods of destroving life j and then the president regretfullv stated that 'owing to the reluctance of the Government, science had not got into its stride when the war ended.'"

"Now." concluded Miss Royden. "those who should have been our leaders are dead, for they were our leaders in war; but do not give up hone and slip back Into the attitude that savs .'What was good enough for my father is good enough for mi?.' War is not <*nod enough for anyone. It is worse than disease, bccause it causes disease, and worse than unemployment, because it causes nnenmlovment. In the words of the Gospel. Sep. I offer vou life and death and food and evil. Choose ye therefore life!'"

At the conion of thn address Miss Rovden wns henrtilv applauded. and « number of queitions were put to her.