Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1923. ARMISTICE DAY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1923, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1923. ARMISTICE DAY.

The Empire will to-morrow solemnly commemorate the fifth anniversary of the signing of the armistice which ended the actual fighting between the Allies and the ex-Kaiser’s forces. The programme suggested follows similar lines as in previous years, excepting that being a Sunday, the observance will be mainly held in the various churches. The Dominion Government has requested that the services usually beginning at 11 a.m. should open fifteen minutes earlier, in order that the two minutes’ silence may be maintained at 11 o’clock. This arrangement is being made in the Homeland and other parts of the Emr pire, and it is certain that the Dominion will act in harmony. An ' appeal is made to non-churchgoers to observe the two minutes’ silence, wherever they may be. | The announcement of the signing a of the armistice was the occasion I for heartfelt rejoicings that the I great struggle had at last ended I in an Allied victory, and although I there Jias been much occasion for I disappointment since, there will I always be the duty of gratitude I for the fact that defeat was the I enemy’s. Few, five years ago, | would have predicted accurately the state of affairs to-day. Hardships and sufferings have been endured by most nations since the war, and (he long looked-forward Ito peace has not brought the harvest expected. This is not a suitable occasion for debating whose fault this is. but it can be claimed that the British Empire has done | its part, and if all the other Allies | had maintained a similar stanI dard, the world generally, and | Europe; in particular, would be | much happier to-day. There now 3 seem belter prospects that British * advice will be more followed, and that with the co-operation of the

United States, a practicable scheme will be found to make Germany [iay all possible reparations. This amount cannot approach the figure generally demanded five years ago, but much of what the Allies will have to surrender is the result of their own mistakes. The chief purpose of Armistice Day, however, is not to chuckle over a defeated foe, but, after expressions of gratitude for the Divine aid which gave the Allies the triumph, to recall the memories of those 'who gave their lives for humanity’s cause, to reflect as to whether full justice has been done to those who came back, and finally to make introspection as to whether individually and nationally, the best ideals are being maintained. Lord Birkenhead, in his speech at Glasgow, belittled the League of ’ Nations and idealists generally, but his attitude is worse than those who are striving to appeal to the finer instincts of man, rather than to his primitive tendencies. The idealists may be in too much of a hurry for permanent peace, but that is better than accepting the standards of the days when men were less altruistic, making no effort to bring about an improved era of international goodwill. Few, if any, really believe that the last war has been fought, but most should agree that many wars in the past could have been avoided, and that strife between nations can in the future be minimised. Armistice Day is an occasion when the horrors of war and the delight of peace can be appropriately emphasised, and the result must be to instil into the hearts of men the desire to settle their disputes less by blood-shed and more by methods not bringing disaster and suffering to victor and defeated alike.