The Hawera Star. SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1925. THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 4 July 1925, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

SATURDAY, JULY 4, 1925. THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock 'u Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Alton. ITnrleyville, Patea, ■ Waverley, Mokoia. Wliakaniara, Mcremere, Fraser Road, an Arnrata.

The American iieet has put to sea from Honolulu and is steaming south for Australian ports. In. other circumstances newts of such a. character might easily be alarming. This time it does no more than remind us. to get ready our guest chambers. To who have been accustomed to see the ships of the 1 toy a l Navy come and go witliout any fu-ss, or who, when they ihiave not neon. the ships, have had ■alwuy.s a perfect satisfaction that the •Silent Service was going about its ibusinesisi with the minimum of advertisement —to such, the loud trumpetin,gs that have come across the Pacific in connection with the American “war games’ ’ sound strangely out ul place. There is a kind ofYschoolboy seriousness 'about the whole business, rather (giving the idea that no other Power has ever thought of carrying out naval manoeuvres on a grand scale. But that is the American temperament which, while it may have its defects, is possibly quite as near to perfection as onus. Any surface differences are bound to be overlooked when the (sailors from the States -reach New Zealand waters, and the Dominion may 'be expected to exhibit its warmest hospitality in receiving the officers and men of the sister nation. Tor us in this country a visit from any part of the American navy can take second •place only to a visit from «ome of our own warships, for the peace of the Pacific may be said to be in the joint keeping of the two English-speaking Powers whose interests line its shores, if we lost the friendship of America, or if '-die lost ours, and a naval war developed in this ocean, the outcome might be a state of affairs not pleasant to contemplate. While there is no immediate fear of the ties ot our fiiendship parting, the best ■gimiaiu.ee for the security of the future will lie found in the closer cultivation of that friendship, and no better opportunity for cultivation could lie found than the forthcoming visit- of the sailors. Numerically and in respect ot tonnage, the United States fleet is now the stionge~.t in the world; but, without losing sight of that- dignity, New Zealand will look forward ui meeting the officers. anil men more as American eiiizons than as leaders and ratings in a gioat navy. We should learn something. more of their country, and we hope to show them .something of mins —Taranaki is to have the opportunity of entertaining a .section of the visitor*. ul Mount Fgmont—but far more important is that New Zealanders and Americans will get together and learn something not. only of count ries, hut also of peoples—-of each, other. Jt is there that the chief value of the visit will be apparent in Australia and New Zealand. Mho “war games” will give the ships and men of the. United Stales navy valuable sea experience, hut there, wrilil be a benefit to these southern British lands, too —the bond of .personal understanding which should be built up as we fraternise with the visitors. The more New Zealanders am! Americans are .personal friends, the less the danger of any national bickering in the difficult days ahead.