A PASSION FOR PEACE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 102, 2 May 1911, Page 6

A PASSION FOR PEACE.

As the representative of New Zealand, Sir Joseph Ward^was honoured at the great meeting held in tho Guildhall to support President Taft's arbitration proposals with a Teception which waa highly flattering. The Lord Mayor of London was in the chair; the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Leader of the Opposition were -on the platform; and, according to our cabled report, "all the political, commercial, and religious interests of the nation were represented- in the audience." It was 6uch a gathering as would be impossible outside of London, and even in London the occasion which makes it possible very rarely occurs. The normal function of party leaders in Great Britain, as in other countries, is to bombard one another from opposite sides of Parliament or from rival platforms, and their respective followers aid and abet their efforts. But here was an occasion which united all parties, classes, and creeds, and enabled the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition to meet, not for the purpose of mutual criticism and denunciation, but for tho furtherance of a great national object which commands the unwavering allegiance of both. It usually requires a war or the rumour of a war, or some analogous menace to tho safety or wellbeing of the nation, to effect such an effacement of the estranging influences of party divisions. The occasion of the Guildhall meeting was not of that character. It was hope and not fear, a passion for peace and not the imminence of war, that brought that distinguished audience together in disregard of every difference that ordinarily keeps its members apart. We trust that the meeting may be so soon followed by another of a similar nature that nobodj will be tempted to term either unique. Not so very long ago such a proposal as that which President Taft has now made, and the British Government and nation have warmly approved, could not have been put forward by any responsible public man in the United States, and would have been howled down in derision if he had been rash enough to make the attempt. Grover Cleveland was a level-headed and high-principled man, yet as President of the United States in 1895 he came perilously near to engineering his country into a war with Great Britain over Venezuela. The softening of the hostile sentiment which 1 had attained so perilous a pitch dates from 1898, when the friendship of Great Britain alone saved the United States from being robbed of the fruits of their victory in the war with Spain. The excellent understanding between the two countries which was thus established has steadily ripened until it has borne fruit in the proposal of the American President. It is as yet only a general arbitration treaty that is in question, and not a defensive alliance. But an. arbitration treaty which will cover even points of "national honour" is a quite sufficient advance for tho present, and at the rate at which the two nations, have recently been moving it should not be long before an alliance for mutual defence will folloAv. The year 1915, when the Anglo- Japanese Alliance will m the ordinary course expire, and the Panama Canal will bo thrown open for traffic, would be a fitting, time for this happy consummation. New Zealand, which is beginning to look with grave vioncern upon the weakening of British naval power in the Pacific, would be tnankful indeed to see that day, and it is appropriate that her Premier shoidd have been given the chance of speaking at the meeting which marked another step towards the goal.

Last week persons liable to register under the new defence scheme in the Wellington Military District came forward in largor numbers than had hitherto been the case, and filled in the necessary torms. Up to last Saturday 6167 people between the ages of 14 and 21 had registered, but the estimated total liable to service is 16,000. Much, accordingly, remains to be done between now and 2nd Juno, the last day. for enrolment. The number :>f registrations effected last week in the Wellington district totalled 2882, but even this rate of progress will havo to bo accelerated if all the eligible Territorials are to be enl'olled within the next three weekb. En- , rolmont forms may be obtained from [any post office orgoUcp Btatloni