The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1935. ANZAC DAY.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 April 1935, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1935. ANZAC DAY.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Kaupokonui, Otakeho, Oeo, Pibama, Opunake. Eltham, Ngaere, Mangatoki. Kaponga, Awatuna. Te Kiri, Uahoe, Lowgarth, Manutahi, Kakaramea, Alton, Hurleyvilla, Patea, Whenu* knra> Waver ley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Prawr itoad and Ararat*,

To-morrow’s close holiday is more than the observation of the famous Gallipoli landing by New Zealand troops on April 25, 1915 it is New Zealand’s national day of remembrance for her war dead. In this lies the explanation of the solemnity which marks the anniversary services. The form taken by New Zealand’s observance has been criticised, though in kindly enough spirit, by more than one visitor to our country. It has been asked why New Zealand observes this day, which marks a brilliant feat of heroism and courage by our troops and can be regarded as the birthday of the country’s nationhood, with mourning rather than with joy. But to-day, when illusions have so largely disappeared and nationalism stands on trial, New Zealand is not so very much out of tune with the new spirit of the world when she ignores the glory of armies and remembers the sacrifices of individuals. Anzac Day is dedicated to the memory of all our countrymen who fell in the Great War. While pride in the achievement of the Anzacs still lives, that pride is wide enough to embrace the sacrifice of all our soldiers, no matter on which battlefield of the world they fell. For this reason it is unreasonable to expect the nature of the observance of Anzac Day to change very much while kinsfolk of the dead are still left in need of mental and spiritual comfort. A future generation will continue the observance, but in a different spirit. For them there will be no sense of personal loss, but only respectful admiration for a generation which made a glorious page in, their country’s history. But that day is not yet, and while there are mothers and widows of soldiers still alive the observance of Anzac Day in solemn form will answer a need for spiritual comfort.

The keynote of many an Anzac Day oration is a prayer that the sacrifice of manhood made on the battlefields of the Great War may not be in vain, that we retain the peace they won for us. That prayer has been answered as far as the outlook of the people of this country towards war is concerned. AY c are anxious for peace. British people everywhere, while not behind those of any other nation in their appreciation of the sacrifices of their'soldiers, do not forget the sufferings and remember only the glories of war. As far as forces over which they have no control permit them, New Zealanders, in common with British people in all parts of the Empire, will not add fuel to the embers of hate. IT atr ed s have no place in the British memories of the Great War. On public occasions of remembrance the remembrance is all for the dead—the hopeful lives that were cut down, the sacrifices that were made and so often to no good purpose even in regard to the immediate military goal. To-day, twenty years after, we experience the chagrin of learning from the lips of one of our own generals that the evacuation of Gallipoli was a “ ghastly blunder,” that millions died later on the Western Front because of the tactical mistake of withdrawal on the Eastern Front. This generation knows too much about such history, and also about the “secret” history of the various high commands,, where politicians over-rode the judgment of generals and. generals displayed lack of judgment, to venerate the “glory” of war. But may it, and succeeding generations never know so much about the folly of war as to blind them to the heroic spirit of the individuals who made up their nation’s armies. Appreciation of the personal courage of the men who fought, overshadowed as it is in this country with a sense of bereavement at their loss, is one of the strongest influences abroad to-day for the maintenance of peace.