Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1925. SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1925, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1925. SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN.

It is very rare for the Order of the Garter to be conferred on a Commoner, and any such recipient may be certain that he has rendered great public service, otherwise he would not have obtained so exclusive a' testimonial of merit. Princes and Peers entitled to write K.G. after their names, frequently owe the honour to birth or political party, but those of lesser rank find the coveted Order less easy to grasp. Mr. A. Chamberlain could doubtless have been created a peer, long ago, had he so desired, indeed some of his own colleagues would have been happy to see him so shelved, but he has preferred to remain in the Lower House. He has received his latest reward for the excellent work he carried out in connection with the Locarno Pact. Few will begrudge him and his wife their new honours. “Sir” Austen Chamberlain may sound strange for a while, but the title will become familiar. It will recall that he brought Germany and France together, and by his own sincerity, made both countries realise that it was in their own best interests, as well as good for the welfare of Europe, generally, that they should let past enmities take second place to possibilities of future co-operation. The eventual signing of the Pact was a triumph for British policy, as carried out by its Foreign Secretary, and yesterday’s proceeding at London was worthy to be ranked as historic. The importance of the main and subsidiary Pacts resulting from the Locarno conference, is best grasped by visualising what the alternative would be. Goodwill has overcome racial bitterness, and peace is the main objective instead of war. Germany is to join the League of Nations instead of cooperating with Bolshevik Russia, and in many ways, the whole world has cause for rejoicing that Sir A. Chamberlain attained so signal a success. It would not be fair to his predecessors, Conservative, Liberal and Labour, to deny them some of the credit, as they helped to prepare the ground for the present understanding. Each of their proposals had, however, something one or more of the Powers could not accept, and it was left for the present Foreign Secretary Io evolve a. treaty which all could sign. Some may declare that the terms of the

Locarno' treaties may not be kept, if later developments make it. inconvenient for the signatories to honour these “scraps of paper.” There is, that danger, but such repudiation is unlikely, in view of what happened in 1914-18. The motto of the Garter, “Evil be to him who evil thinks,” is singularly appropriate to any who may be entering into solemn, engagements under the Locarno Pact, with the mental reservation that the terms will be honoured only so long as it is convenient or remunerative. A rude awakening will await any; -wilful deceivers. Public opinion in the. various lands increasingly shapes foreign policy, and there is no doubt that the great masses desire to maintain peace, and will oppose war except for very .strong reasons. The Locarno agreements may ultimately prove to have raised hopes that were not realised, blit meanwhile it is better to be optimistic, and to hail the signing of the treaties in London as the best safeguard against strife between European a strife which could not be confined to European borders.