THE PEACE CONGRESS.

Evening Star, Issue 16998, 21 March 1919, Page 3

THE PEACE CONGRESS.

DOMINION DELEGATION. [From R. Rit,et, Official Journalist.] No. I. The Right Hon. W. P. Massey, Prime Minister, and the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Finance. New delegates to the Peace Conference, left Wellington on December 12 and reached Paris on January 21—three days after the first plenary session of the Allied Congress in the famous Hall of the Clock. The long trip had unique and memorable features. It was near perfection from Wellington to Panama, the Remuera's rather easy-going run across the empty Pacific being a succession of pleasant days with the " muckle sea " changing only in its beauty. It was raroly ever ruffled, as if to offer compensation "for the lack of living things in sea and sky. Several passengers, it is true, saw at least a whale, a shark, a few flying fishes, and at old Panama that " wonderful bird the pelican," but most only saw each other. The Ministers had opportunity to keep fit, and maintained successfully in competitive sports the strength of their political coalition. But these pleasures and successes were meroly incidental exercises bo essential on a long and inevitably tedious voyage of over 12,000 miles. The second stage, as one says, of the journey was made in very different circumstanoes. The Ministerial party, including Mrs Massey, Lady Ward, Miss Massoy, Mr A. P. Ward, Mr F. D. Thomson (private secretary to the Prime Minister), Miss A. Saunders (acting private secretary to the Minister of Finance), and Mr R. Riley (official journalist), left the Remuera and its jolly company at Panama, and crossed the isthmus by special train to Colon, which, by the way, is striding rapidly forward to American development. The train journey had been arranged by tho Imperial authorities and the Canal Zone Commission in order to gain about a day off the already belated departure of the auxiliary cruiser Ophir, which for some time had been awaiting at Colon the unavoidably delayed arrival of tho New Zealand Ministers, who had had at Wellington only a few hours after the close of the parliamentary session to prepare for the trip. It was rather disappointing to surrender the instructive pleasure of making a leisurely trip through the famous canal, but there were compensations. The New Zealand soldiers who have passed through the canal zone have made good in picturesque Panama and Colon the name and fame of their own fair land. To be a New Zealander is an open sesame to the cordial hospitality of the American population. May one say that in the steaming canal zone one can appreciate hospitality with ice in it—the American way. The Ophir with her graceful lines looked very attractive as she lav in the wide roadstead against a gTeon out fortified background. But it is sometimes with ships as it is with men—appearances may be deceptive. Everything promised a delightful experience; tlie wide sky was hazy with heat, through which seaplanes sped gracefully like great white birds; the harbor was busy with camouflaged and standardised shipping now emancipated from the menace of the U boat—a welcome fact that was emphasised bv the passing at brisk speed of a United States submarine; over against the picturesque town, where green trees top the tall roofs, wo saw the New Zealand hospital ship Mnrnma coaling for the last stage of a glad journey for the merry lads in her sick bays. The Ministers gained a measured opportunity to visit the Marama and talk with the men. Though many of theme were gravely stricken, none were dispirited. The Ophir left Colon a little after middav on January 5. ' *

It was a pleasure to learn that the commander (Captain Stanley) ,was an old Dunedin boy. and that several of his officers and engineers were far-travelled New Zealanders, with war service in the Royal Navy in the North Sea, the extreme Orient, the Persian Gulf, and the South Seas. Then there was the additional pleasure of hearing at last first-hand information concerning the work of the so-called "Silent Navy and the merchant service under war conditions. A number of the fine men of the Ophir had. been thrown from - torpedoed vessels early in the war, and at least one man had at one time threatened to make a hobbv of that sort of excitement. . It is surely worth mentioning that one grim Scot, when asked to recall his outstanding memory of the wreck of his engines and ship by a torpedo, replied that he remembered " ower weel" that he a-nn a mate "did a kind of daft tnmg" hi such circumstances, and went down to his cabin and had " a tot of whisky." The heat of it warmed them later as thev swam in the wintry North Sea till an American destroyer came out of the dryness and rescued both. One hopes that this may not be used in tho Prohibition campaign. Another officer's most vivid memory was that when he was swimming in a dark sea he could not forgot the lr' fact that ho had left 20 " beautiful crolden sovereigns" in his safe on his stricken ship. Such was the type of men we saiW with on the Ophir. So, though there was a lack of homely comforts on board, there was no stint of good-fellowship and surprisingly resourceful hospitality. In t 1 nands of such men tho liberty of free nations is safe.

At one stage of tho Atlantic trip the eea appeared eager to touch the low Veavens, and the Ophir seemed to

everything wicked except to disappear from the confusion of waters. As a t ter of fact, she is a staunch boat for a wild sea. but apparently not many men are very willing to give 'lier full_ marks tor anything else. A temporary mishap in the engine room caused a little delay on the run to Plymouth. The officers and men made up for many defects. We reached Devonport on the forenoon of Sunday, January 19. and found merry old England in the tight grip of winter. and its light-hearted people still uncomplainingly living under the stress of \ as regards economic conditions. The TVT ,f had a charming farewell from the good men on the Ophir, although it must Ik? confessed that we were rather cautious in our response to their song 'Will Ye No Come Back Again?' London was at last reached late on .Sunday night, and the Ministers had an encouraging welcome at Paddington. A military guard of honor, a stalwart mounted escort, and an excellent band from Sling Camp were on the well-lit platform, and gave the delegates a stirring reception. Sir Thomas Mackenzie (rtirr Commissioner), General Richardson, Sir James Mills, and many more well-known New Zealanders in T-ondon were present. Though the Royal Household had ■ day lost a piince, the- King sent to +' station a special representative to welcome the New Zealand Ministers. On the crowded way to the Savoy Hotel it was good to see how popular are the N-ew Zealand soldiers with Londoners.

London can be one of the greatest sights in the world, but' during the brief time we were in it the city gloomed undf"foggy rain and a meagre artificail light still necessitated by the national shortage ot fuel. But it was at least unnecessary to look with a lighted match for the Strnr Let it be said in true affection that London is as delighful and as dirty as ever. A relaxed system of rationing is still force, but the menace of starvation hn« gone, and tho true Londoner is awaiting eagerly the great peace celebrations. Then London intends to show America that "Old Blighty " is some city. It was not easy to get into Paris. It was much easier to realise how hopeless, really, was the Prussian dream of entering this great and gay city. Tho only precaution one can think of that has not been adopted against visitors to Paris, even though they are on official business, is the finger-print test. France must have suffered from a placue of spies during the war. and is determined never to suffer again. But even rod tape breaks in the end, and the Ministers and secretaries got in Paris late on the night, of the 21st January. Our delegates were warmly wi-l<'i..!ii'i:d by tie Uritldi authorities, and given social headquarters at f he palatial Hotel Mastic, which is one o * the several great hotels in I'aiis iaken over by the British (.'uveirra .'..-,• !'"• housing of delegate- an 1 .i ■ = , , : v .-Uri. VJ.-.'e than half a tlir,usa::J v.. •....• a.:d olKcials from London uhmi! have i. .ided Paris, and

have already drawn caustic comment from the courteous French Press. _ The New Zealand delegation, with their numerically small staff* early realised the penalties of a belated arrival, and had to overcome the initial difficulty in respeot to securing suitable office accommodation in the Hotel Perousse, which had beon set apart for the use of the Dominion's delegates and their staffs for business pux--joses. The initial lack of office accommodation rather seriously inconvenienced our delegates, who immediately upon their arrival were called on to take part in several, conferences dealing with the work of the Peace Congress. These difficulties iave now been overcome. But the organisation of the vast activities of the Peace Congress is still a far pitch from perfection.