DESIRE FOR PEACE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10741, 12 November 1928, Page 3

DESIRE FOR PEACE.

DEMONSTRATION IN GISBORNE

SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT.

A solemn affirmation of the den l ™ for permanent peace and (pledge to support the New Zealand Government in any movement toward that objective was made by a representative gathering of,about 60 citizens in the €S ty' Hall yesterday afternoon'. The delntnistratimi in the cause of international peace for which the League of Nations is now working, was organised by- the./ Gisborne Branch of the League of Nations and othor local organisations. The, gathering was undenominational in character and was presided over by the deputy-Mayor (Ail*. J. Blair) in ,tho u.navoida 1 jle absence of the' Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, with whom was associated Mr Chas. Matthews, chairof the Cook County Council, and ministers representing tho Prebyterian, Methodist, Church of England, Baptist, and Salvation Army. Members of the Boy Scouts w-ere also in attendance, ' whilst the- City Band paraded and played thei accompaniments to the hymns in the hall. A brief/ service was conducted at the opening of the ceremony, the gathering joining in the singing of “Give to Us Peace,” and “0 God Our Help,” whilst'the Rev. A. O. Allwright lead a passage of Scripture from Psalm 65. this being followed by a prayer offered up by the Rev. Geo. Frost. “We, citizens of New Zealand, declare our detestation of war and our earnest desire for permanent peace based on all-round reduction of armaments, and international frienship, and co-operation, and lye pledge ourselves to support the Dominion Government in , all its efforts towards the achievement of this aim.” This reso’ution was proposed lly Mr. Jas. Blair, deputy-Mayor, who, in opening, reminded the gathering that they had assembled to- do what little was possible for them to advance the cause of peace. He invited thorn to regard peace and war in the light of the. language of the ordinary man’s description. “Peace and happiness” were associated, and on the other hand the. phrase used was “horrors of ’war.” What did war mean? he asked. Most people remembered that' in tlis Great War no fewer than 12,000,000 soldiers died, many of the civil population was destroyed by being killed or drowned, and many, died of starvation. He pointed out too. that two thirds of /Britain’s staggering weight of taxation represented payments for past wars and preparation for future hostilities. The Great War had developed both poison gas and aircraft, be reminded the gathering, and with the advance of science a new and terrible gas had leen evolved, whilst too, manoevres had shown that London could hot be- made immune from attacks by aircraft. Thus in the event of a future war the people had to contemplate with the utmost borror attacks bv ’planes dropping bombs loaded with the dead lest of gases, kill’-ng thousands of dexeneeess inen, women and children who were non-combatants There would also Be far more destruction of property. too, than in the past war. Tim moral strength of the nation had tone a great deal to prevent war, he claimed. The British Premier, one of the leaders of po’itical thought, had voiced the opinion that in event of another war. the civilisation of the west would fall with a crash. The people in New Zealand were as much concerned that there should be. no more war as if a ouarrel with the next-door neighbor, for tho past war had brought to this country sufler;ng and stress, as it did to all others involved. It would he a great, thing if every citizen of the Empire could rive expression of the resolution he had proposed. It would help the statesmen and diplomats to find a way to permanent peace. The resolution was seconded by Mr Chas. Matthews, who expressed preasuie in doing so. The objective, was to give moral support to the League of Nations and other institutions that were working for the attainment of permanent peace. The people. appreciated that work, and they hoped that war would be largely averted ,V round-table conferences of the nations, as had previously taken place. In private life people having dispute did not -fight, but settled their differences in court, and, therefore, there seemed no 11101*0 reason why the nations should not' have a high tribunal to settle their disputes. Ho did not believe in total disarmament as it would leave nations unprepared for defence, but he strongly advocated the limitation of armaments and this could only he.achieved by friendly co-operation of the nations. He believed that the demonstration was a good movement in the cans© of peace, and urged that in future the people- should support the League at every opportunity. The Rev. Jas. Aitken, in supporting tho resolution, said that whilst not detracting one iota from the. arguments that had already been used in support of the resolution, he believed that another great war under modern conditions would be so utterly disastrous to all concerned that the very foundations of our civilisation would be undermined and we would Bel apse a long way towards barbarism. “I am keenly conscious of the folly of war,” 110 continued. “It cam accomplish 110 positive good, even if it does sometimes avert, an evil. It was the Duke of Wellington who said that a victory is only less disastrous than a defeat. But there is another reason- for supporting this resolution. ‘ I believe that war is essentially a wrong thing. The position we t ake up to-day is not that of the out and opt pacifist. If war breads out no citizen is absolved from the duty of standing by his fellow citizens in defence of their interests . and lives. Nevertheless we' affirm our conviction that war is in itself a moral evil. It is known by its fruits, and its fruits are cruelty, hatred, falsehood, evil feelings of all kinds. The fact that it breeds such evil passions itself condemns it-, however it he the occasion for bravo deeds and; noble self-sacrifice. War has its ultimate roots in the past; in ignorance, suspicion and fear, .in greed and jealousy. It is not the immediate occasion of war that accounts for it: it- is the- acts and passions of generations beforehand that are its real causes. War never grows, cannot grow out of Brotherhood and goodwill. The moral sense of the world is beginning to realise that war is evil. The conscience of mankind is awakening. Hence the many movements' in our time that have for then* object the transcending of war as an instrument of national policy. There are those who say war cannot be abolished; it has always been and will always he.. That is an attitude of sheer, pessimism. It springs from lack of faith in God, and goodness. War can he abolished!. War will lb abolished.. The'day is coming when men shall. heat their swords into Dlough-sheai.*es and their spears into pruning hooks and shall learn the art of war .no more. And it is for us to do all that in us lies, to think and speak and pray, for the coming of that glad day.” ' . ' The resolution . was carried unanimously, and after the singing of 1 the National Anthem, the, gathering dispersed. '• y , ' ' - v