"WAR IS HELL"

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 97, 26 April 1932, Page 5

"WAR IS HELL"

MESSAGE FOR FUTURE

THE CHILDREN'S SERVJCE A STIRRING ADDRESS Simple and brief, was the, Children's Memorial Service held at the Wellington War Memorial in the morning. The 'address -mis given by Brigadier C. Walls, M.C.,y of the Salvation Army, who emphasised that men sacrificed their lives at Anz^c and elsewhere to safeguard for all time the interests of those-ivho were alive and those who were yet to live. . . --.-.-..- ---., The special enclosures were well filled with next of kin, representatives of the schools, Girl Guides, Red Cross, Sea Scouts, and others. , There was an exceptionally 'large parade of returned men, under Lieutenant-Colonel H. E. Avery. In company with the Legion of Frontiersmen, the South African veterans, and a naval detachment, they had marched through the town, headed by the Port Nicholson Band, the Pipe Band, and a naval band, • The "Navy provided the guard 'of honour for His Excellency the Gover-nor-General, Lord Bledisloe, who was accompanied by Lady Bledisloe. Also on the steps at the base of the memo-, rial were, the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, the Hon. E. Masters, the Hon. B. A. Bansom, the Hon. ,T. A. Young, the Hon. A. Hamilton, Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., the "Right Rev. T. H. Sprott (Bishop of Wellington), Commodore Burges Watson, Major-Gehcral SinclairBurgess, and others. The Right Hon. J. .G-. Coates was on parade with,the' returned men. , ■ * The proceedings commenced with the placing of wreaths at the base of the memorial, the , Governor-General beading the official•;representatives., The Artillery .Band accompanied the singing of "Anzae Hymn," which was followed by a prayer by the 'Key. R» S. Watson, M.C.; : . •, ■ ■'"." A MIGHTY EPOCH. "Those!who lived through the years 1914-18 were'witnesses'.of the.mightiestjjpoch for good or ill in all'annals of mankind," said: Brigadier Walls, in opening his addressi "Those who actually passed through those years: of war now look.back upon a period which surpasses any other warlike effort in history." After referring to the glorious deeds of the men at Anzac^ and the honour they wonj' Brigadier/Walls said that Anzac was synonymous with sacrifice, pain, and loss. The word.stood for all time for never-failing courage, determination, and cheerfulness. Sacrifice was to the end that futurity might benefit; that the Empire .might not again be endangered. ' i "But our losSes," he said, "the wreck? age of war; the wastage, misery, and suffering consequent upon war, all "urge the utter futility of war as a means to idealism. We have had eloquent testimony that disease soon finds a host; that weakening of moral fibre is not unusual, and that undue strain iipon mentality cannot be< well borne. War victims are all about si,lently, yet eloquently, calling upon us who arc, in full possession of health and faculties to see the abhorrent misery which is the resut, and the calamity of such practices, and .to live and move, that history will never again repeat itself in such a diabolical setting. "WAR IS HELL." "Once again ? this day, let it be reaffirmed that .war is hell, that hostilities cannot be relied upon to settle national differences. It is Known to iis now, as never before, that the greatest sufferers are the maimed in mind and limb, the1 widow, and the fatherless. The futility of war as a means to the settlement of differences has been demonstrated, and future years willbut strengthen us in our acceptance of that view." Did it not make their souls revolt when they recalled the many conflicting selfishnesses which were*, raised almost to the dignity of gods? the speaker asked. A spirit of national distrust and insularity had been expressed by so many peoples that the apparent harmonious relationships of battle days appeared as a cloak to be tossed aside on. the slightest misunderstanding. National self-interest was clamorous. Then while the Motherland had shown commendable selflessness in forgiving war debts she had recently been spending £200 a minute, on armaments and 2Jd in the same time for peace. "Should not 'Others' and 'Posterity,' watchwords of our honoured dead, also

ibe inscribed upon our hearts and be lived in ceaseless selfless expression?" ho asked. "This, then, is the call: — 'And though we go down in defeat, j 'And though our stormy hearts may break, 'We'll play the game please God, 'We'll play the game' , "Strictly playing the game of life will also secure for us the victory of the Cross." .. The hymn "Lest We Forget" followed Brigadier Walls's address, after which the Artillery Band, conducted by Captain T. Herd, gave an impressive rendering of the "Dead March in Saul." The Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Bugler R. Aldrich, jun., and the service was completed \\rj the singing of the National Anthem and the pronouncing of the Benediction by the Rev. H. E. K. Fry, M.A., who conducted the service.