BRIDGE OF PEACE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 10 August 1927, Page 5

BRIDGE OF PEACE

BETWEEN U.S.A. AND CANADA.

SYMBOL OF FRIENDSHIP,

A MEMORABLE CEREMONY

(Britislf Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Aug. 8

A brief speech delivered yesterday by the Prince of Wales in opening the Peace Bridge, which links Canada- and the United States across the Niagara River, was relayed from America, by wireless and broadcast from Britain. After referring to the fact that the bridge commemorated a peace that had happily endured between the British Empire and the United States' for more than a century, the Prince said: “May this bridge be not only a physical and material link between Canada and the United States, but may it also be symbolical of the maintenance of their freindly contacts by those who are on both sides of the frontier. May it serve also as a continual reminder to t-hose who will use it, and to all of us, to seek to place and ensure this as the first and highest duty ljoth of this generation and of those that are yet to come.”

The British Prime' Minister (Mr. Stanley Baldwin), together with the Prime Minister of Canada_ and the Premier of Ontario province. were among the British and Canadian party. The Vice-President of the United States (General Dawes), the Secretary of State (Mr. Kellogg), and Mr. Al. Smith (Governor of New York), with whom was the British .Ambassador to Washington, attended to represent the United States. General Dawes, referring to the Geneva Conference, declared that the temporary difference between the British and American naval experts could not and would not be permitted to lead to a. renewal of competitive building. The conference had not been a mistake, and agreement would’ ultimatelv be reached.

Mr. Kellogg recalled that the two countries had sprung from similar origins, had the same ideals and government-, and enjoyed the same industrial development, but the rivalry wa-s untouched with envy, and racial animosities were non-existent. Difficulties arose from time to time, but they could be settled by tolerance and common sense.

Yesterday’s ceremony on the Niagara River attracted immense crowds of spectators from both sides of the frontier, and the distinguished English visitors were accorded a striking welcome. Their arrival on Saturday at Toronto was the occasion of a great outburst of loyal feeling. Mr. Baldwin made a speech at the official dinner, in which lie referred to the place of Canada in the Empire. After remarking that Canada was the pioneer of the Empire in exploration of constitutional government, he turned to the future and spoke of the responsibilities which equal status within the Empire involved in external affairs. He said that all policies must commend themselves to different governments and parliaments. The brotherhood of nations had yet to be worked out.

Canada had succeeded in achieving nationhood by the success of the practical working of compromise of different elements in the national life. They must apply .the same principles to Empire prohlems. The re was no precedent for the British Commonwealth Its history was one of constant change. Greatness lay in renderi ng the best service to mankind. The supreme- duty was not to foster Imperial trade, great as that was, but to further the peace of the whole world. The Empire was an instrument of world peace. By reverent use of freedom and by generous protection of weakness might we he just in our power. The opening of the Bridge of Peace, linking Canada and the United' States across the Niagara River, is regarded bv the British Press as having taken place very opportunely so soon after the break up of the naval conference at Geneva.