Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 1926 The Armistice and After.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3719, 16 November 1926, Page 4

Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 1926 The Armistice and After.

ON Thursday last Armistice Day was observed throughout the British Empire. The ,passage of time brings forgetfulness,, and it requires an effort of memory to realise thei perilous moments through which the people of the Allied nations passed in the years front August of 1914 to November of 1918. The declaration, of war came, like a bolt out of the blue. Of all the nations engaged in the struggle Germany was the only one that was prepared. As the result of a long Continental peace the rest of Europe was lulled into a sense of false security. Germany, on the other hand, had built up a huge army, thoroughly equipped with the latest devices in, anus and munitions, and led by mein who had devoted their lives to a profound study of military science, France, on, the other hand, though still smarting at her 'defeat by Germany in the, war of 1870, had l nol| kept her army and' navy in a state of the, highest efficiency. This: was cliue to the. lack of vision, and energy on the part of her polltidanjs. Eng* land never did keep a large standing array, but fortunately for civilisation she held command of the sea. Her powerful navy was ready for instant action, and as on previous occasions in, history our men-of-wav saved the situation. The German onslaught would have been irresistible but for the might of the British navy, and there can Ibe Tittle doubt that Paris would have been in the hands of the Germans before the end of 1.914. Our navy hampered Germany’s operations. Britain’s small but highly efficient fighting force was quickly transferred to French soil and the 'Channel closely patrolled. Thisi and the stand of the, British iContemptibles at Mens held up the German, offensive and gave the Allies time to organise counter measures. The fateful battle of the Marne Was the turning point of the war, France had had timei to mobilise and equip her forces, and her soldiers, fought with .great heroism, There were many dark days after this for the Allies, There wore recorded reverses, or checks, on. the western front,, heavy defeats of the Russian armies, disasters at sea such as the Ooronel battle, and the torpedoing of British cruisers in the English Channel, the, ill-fated Gallipoli adventure,, the Italian debacle, and the overrunning of Rumania. For a long time it seemed as if fortune frowned on the, Allies, Then in March of 1918 Von Ludendorff made his great throw in a supreme, endeavour to creak through to the Channel ports. That was one of the darkest hours of the war, for that drive came perilously near to success, and it caused the issue of Lord Haig's famous army order: “There must be no more re:treats." After this failure by Germany the tide turned. AUenby’s great movement in the East was followed by the capitulation of Turkey, Bulgaria, and Austria. At sea the momentous battle of Jutland had been fought, and the experts are still engaged in controversy over Lord Jel--11 roe's- tactics in this engagement. To the lay blind two facts stand out clearly in this Cue is that if Lord Jelliooe had taken the risk of 'going after the German fleet in the darkness and had lost the, action it would have meant a disaster the extent of which it is hard to realise. The security of the British fleet at that moment meant everything to the' Allies, Secondly, an effective answer to the critics was given on that day when at the command of the Allies the German warships sailed into Scapia Flow and struck their flags. Many people think that injustice was Hone to the great and gallant gentleman who ■Commanded the. British fleet, for the honors, conferred on. him were lees than those given to. others whose, responsibility was not so 'great. If Lord Jelliooe felt that he, had teen harshly treated, he gave no, sign, and his devotion to the Empire in post-

war dlays has been as marked as it ever was.

On November 11, 1918, the Germans, being at the end of their resources, laid down their arms. The greatest

war in history had come to an end, and the announcement of peace was received throughout the greater pant of the world with every manifestation of joy. Extravagant hopes were built on the success of the Allied arms. The world .made safe for democracy was the ary. This had reason Itehind it, for had Germany won the war the consequences' would have peer* terrible to contemplate. Those people), however, who imagined that an atmosphere of peace would prevail were) disappointed. Germany showed no chastened spirit. She signed the Peace Treaty, but she did not observe it in spirit, and only in the letter so far as is he Was compelled. She was the aggressor in the war. urged on by grandiose dreams of military conquest, and her disappointment was revealed in hate and resentment. It is eight years since the armistice was

'granted her, and in the, intervening period the atmosphere has been anything but suggestive of peace., |Toj J chy, however, the, position gives l treason for hope of better things.. Two factors ,stand ojut prominently in this connection. One is that the republic in Germany appears to be firmly established. The extreme demands of the Kaiser party leave been steadfastly resisted, and though Hindenburg is President, those who control the Government of the country declare themselves to be in opposition to the aspirations of the Junkers and in favour of peace. The second factor is the influence of the League of Nations which is greater than it appears on the surface. Behind it stand responsible, British statesmen and Frenchmen of the Briand type. They have: worked unceasingly for peace ideals. We see the, result in the Locarno Treaty, in which Britain,, France, and Germany guarantee each other’s security, in Germany’s actiniasion to the League, and in the recent conversations at, Thory. teitweeb Dr. Stresismann and Mr Briand. Mr Baldwin in a speech a few days ago said the nations of Western and Central Europe are recovering from the shattering after effects of the war and there has been a definite and tangible advance towards more stable and settled economic conditions, A period of peace seems assured. No one can say that war on a big scale, will not occur again,, but it does seem, probable that it will be banished from the world for a considerable period, Germany is committed to- the task of helping to maintain the peace. Much will depend on her attitude, but she must be accepted as a member of the European family in the: spirit of heir prof ess ions of the past two years', and trust reposed in. her avowed intern tions of co-operation in the efforts directed to friendly co-operation.