THIS NEW WORLD

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1935, Page 4

THIS NEW WORLD

LEAGUE OF; NATIONS "ONLY HOPE FOR PEACE" BRITISH E3[PIRE"S PART The Town Hall was crowded last night on the occasion of a lecture delivered by the Rev. C. W. Gordon ("Ralph Connor") on "This New World." The address was an earnest and thoughtful one. After describing the present world situation, the speaker indicated the way by which civilisation could' be saved from the decay which had overtaken earlier civilisations and mighty nations. Before introducing Dr. Gordon, Dr. J. S. Elliott, who presided, stated that the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) had expressed his regret at not being able to be present owing to his departure from Wellington. It was really unnecessary to introduce the lecturer because of his fame as an author and as a pulpit orator, said Dr, Elliott. Dr. Gordon acknowledged the greetings of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, and said he had brought to this Dominion the greetings of the Prime Minister of Canada. He had been in this country only a few days, but he had been here long enough to begin to appreciate the wonderful beauties of this land, and the kindness of its people. FANATICAL NATIONALISM. "This New World," of which he would speak, began in 1919 after we found ourselves amidst the deplorable and ghastly ruins of the Old World— after the terrible days of 1914. The Old World had many noble things in it,, but it had also many bad things in its construction, and it was hopeless 'in its human relations. We were now. seeking to build a new world, and, like a wise builder, the first thing to do was to study our past. He referred to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. What caused it to fall? The Roman Government was essentially wrong. It was a government of the people not by their will, but by sheer force. Spain came tumbling down because it deserved to come tumbling down; it was governed not for the good of the people, but for the exploitation of the people. In 1914 we .were very" prosperous and very sure' of ourselves. Then we heard a shot, and our soldiers marched; we would never forget that day. Wars were dreadful things, full of horrors; but the Great War revealed wonderful things in humanity, including great heroism. But the war left us a ruin. Four hundred millions of our money was wasted. The war led to economic dislocation, and protection sat behind tariff walls. He admired patriotism, but the type of patriotism that graduated into a fanatical nationalism, he considered one of the very greatest curses that had fallen on humanity in these days. It was, of course, akin to that noble thing, love of country, One, of the things the war bad done for the world was to give us a more sympathetic United States of America, and t£at was no small contribution. STUPIDITY AND GREED. After some years' experience, said Dr Gordon, he had come to the conclusion that the industry of the world could be carried on without friction. If friction broke out into strife it was simply the result of stupidity and creed If one eliminated stupidity and, greed' one could always have .a happy, band of people working together There was no need for a strike. It. people were going to work together successfully they had to do two things; they had to give every man working his rights; they had to give the capitalist his rights—why should not he have his rights? Very often it was not his fault that he was a capitalist. The first problem of making a new world was to bring about peace. War had never yet solved an international problem. War was from hell; it had nothing to do with good men. Dr. Gordon said he was all for peace, and he knew the people of this country were for peace. The making of the peace treaty after the war was dealt with at some length, and. the speaker paid a glowing tribute to the work done by Woodrow Wilson in-connec-tion w.ith that treaty and the League of Nations. What we were after was not peace—not simply the staving off of war, but indoctrinating the nations of the world in the conviction that war would never successfully solve any problems, and that the results of war would never be peace. "■,■ A striking tribute was paid to the endeavours of Lord Robert Cecil for the success of the principles of the League. The speaker held the opinion that if the League failed it would be because of the want of unity of the Christian churches in declaring "there shall be .no war." The days of isolation had gone, he said. We had come to the days of collective living. It was a matter of international importance how a nation behaved. "We belonged to one another. The old bad days and the old bad world had gone; and we had begun to live with a new sense of responsibility. GREAT WORK DONE. Dr. Gordon then gave his hearers some insight into some of the work of the League of Nations which was not always recognised. Some new nations were coming into the League, and others which had been in and' left were returning. He told how, in an assembly of the League, he heard Dr. Yen, of China, in the most beautiful English, tell of his country's deep appreciation of what the League had done in' the direction of protecting them from the devastating effects of the overflowing of the Yangtze Kiang and in the remodelling and modernising of their education system. Some of the smaller nations of Europe had been saved from bankruptcy through the League, and its prompt action in their behalf. It had also done much in the fight against the traffic in narcotics and against the white slave traffic. Allusion was made to the mandated territories and the reception of Irak into the League. The speaker concluded with a warm acknowledgment of the part played by the British Empire in upholding the League and promoting peace, and he invoked the continued support of peace by all Christian people. Arrangements have- been limde by . tho Wellington Burns Club to give a Soots reception to tho Key, Dr. Gordon (Ralph Connor) in Ximmo's Building. Willis Street, nt 5.30 p.m. tomorrow. All Scots people and friends' am invited to be present, as this will be the last opportunity of meeting this distinguished visitor.