INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 83, 2 January 1930, Page 3

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP

WORK OF WORLD ALLIANCE SPEECH BY THE DUKE OF YORK The Duke of York attended a meeting at 10 Downing Street recently, in support of the, world alliance for Promoting International Friendship, through the Churches. In the absence of the Prime Minister, Miss MacDonald presided. She was accompanied by the .Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Lord Davidson and Lady Davidson, Lord and Lady Parmoor, and Lord ■ Eustace Percy, M.P. Miss MacDonald expressed the Prime Minister's regret that his political engagements prevented him from presiding at the meeting. Referring to the work of the World Alliance, she said • that all who went through the Great War had learned to dislike war. It was ’of no use, however, just 'saying they disliked war; they must do their utmost to see that war did not happen again. Through the World Alliance they . could help to outlaw war. There were .'different ways’in which they could do their bit to see that wars did not occur ;again. Alluding to the Prime Minister’s recent visit to America, she said .that they had succeeded in bringing 'about a personal understanding and :: , personal contact between the peoples on each side of the Atlantic; and she thought there was very little chance of misunderstanding arising between this country and the United States. That was one little action towards world peace. She announced that the Prime Minister had received a donation of £lOO towards the funds of the World'. Alliance from an anonymous donor, who desired that his contribution should be used in furthering the work of the alliance among the youth of the nation. The Duke’s Speech. The Duke of York, addressing the meeting, said: —“Although I regret that another important engagement this evening makes it necessary for me to leave here almost immediately, I aiu none the less very glad to have this opportunity of saying a few words "on behalf of the World' Alliance, which aims, as you know, at awakening the minds of Christian people to their responsibility for the peace of the world, through the development of international friendship. This work has gone steadily on now for some la years, ■ and it has many impbrtant aspects. I only propose to touch on one, which is perhaps the most important of them all.

I refer to the work which the alliance is doing to bring young people together and fitting them for the task of promoting friendship and peace, based on the foundation of the principles of Christianity. I have heard with real pleasure of the two important youth camps which were organised this summer and of the success which attended them. I know from personal experience what splendid results such camps can achieve in the promotion of friendship and understanding and the removal of class and national prejudices. (Cheers.) Personal contact generallymeans, if not personal friendship, at least the understanding of the other man’s point of view, -and it is only by such understanding and sympathy that, the future peace of the world can be..ensured.’ " : Whether or not peace or war in the future is to be the means of settling disputes must depend on the way in which the youth of the world is edu-. cated. (Cheers.) I feel that it 'islittle use speaking of the horrors of the last war to those who were too young to remember it. They tend to look upon it rather as we look, say, upon the Crimean War. It is not the horrors of the past Which will influence them so much as a right understanding of the problems and difficulties which face our nation that will achieve the result we all so ardently desire. That is what the Church, through the World Alliance, is aiming to do, and I, for one, wish them God-speed in their work. (Cheers.) If it is to succeed it willneed the help, both material and mordl, of all who share those ideals. As you may have heard, an anonymous donor has given a most generous donation, which I personally much appreciate, and I hope that many others will follow the fine example he has set. May I, before I leave, ask you to give the Alliance your support in every way you can? (Cheers.) The Archbishop of Canterbury intervened to express the meeting’s thanks to the Duke of York for his presence aud address. The Prince of Wales, he said, had, been described as an Ambassador of Empire, and the Duke of Yorkhad been a very good partner with his brother in that work. He wished to speak of the Duke of York as an Ambassador of Good Will. His Royal Highness had promoted good will between employers and employed and between the boys of this country; he had been the bearer of good will to two great Churches in Scotland now united; ; and now he had given his interest to the cause of good will among nations. The Younger 1 Generation. Lady Parmoor gave an address on the work of the Alliance, which, she said, was an effort- to focus and bring together all-the Christian nations towards the friendship which they all desired. They sought to heal the wounds of the war and to solve those problems which if they were not solved quickly might bring about’ a far more terrible war and end civilisation as they knew it. The World Alliance was.in fact acting as a spiritual ally to the League of Nations. In a reference to the work of the Alliance in America, she said that they ought on every occasion to. stress the debt poor wounded Europe owed to the United States. There was no country in which a branch of the Alliance had been more active thun in America. The British Council of the Alliance was trying to build up a national Christian conscience on international affairs. With regard to work among the younger generation, she pointed out that unless they could show a form of religion that worked, an ideal of Christian faith adequate to meet some of the great problems of to-day. they would see a breaking away from organ- 1 ) ised Christianity. I The Archbishop of Canterbury said), that there was a real significance in their meeting at No. 10 Downing Street. It meant recognition of the close connection of the work our statesmen had to do on the broad, national sphere ami the help which the spiritual forces of all the citizens of the country could give them. Of nil our leading statesmen, Mr. MacDonald was the one who more fully and more passionately' than any other had given expression to the will and determination of this and other peoples that the world must have peace aud never lose it again. (Cheers.) Referring to the meetings at Lambeth of multitudes of ministers of religion aud sometimes laymen of different religions aud different hinds, he said that in recent years their friendliness bad become something different to what it had been in former years. Their friendliness was being definitely turned towards becoming a movement for strengthening the basis of peace. That was where the World Alliance could do something which statemen could not achieve. It went beyond the region of

public affairs, treaties, optional cInuHCH, conventions, and things of that kind. He echoed all that had been said of the value of the Alliance’s work among the younger people of the nations. It was hoiieless lo expect young people to be enthusiast ic for peace because of the hor“ors of the’ late war. They had heard y ry little of the horrors, becalise the me? 'who went, through the war declined to’ speak of them; it was-a-memory which they would fain shut down. They must put it on basis'. ' They must never mind jUyhat happened in the last war. J’enee II : yelf was a glorious thing, and worthy of ,’jie enthusiasm and valour the young ' ould put into its establishment on eiirtli.