REGENERATION

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 187, 4 July 1919, Page 6

REGENERATION

PBAGE AND WHAT COMES '

AFTEK,

SPEECH BY; AGTINCWPMME MINISTER.

Speaking in tilie Wellington Town Hall fit noon on Monday after thereceipt of the news that--peace, had been signed, &iv James Allen, ActingPrime Minister, said: — "I do ■ net ■'know that I feel much for jubilation to-day. I do feel thankfulness —thankful-, ness ihat- the war has come to an end, and that Peace is signed. (Applause). But on© can hardly jujnlate when you come to look-back*! cvor the past four or five yeaa-s; when you think ol the loss of life and idle destruction of property, you can Tianllv have a spirit of jubilation. One can be thankful -for what the men oi the Empire have done, for what the men and women of the Bmupbo "nave done. One can be thankful for that, and one cam be thankful that the efforts of those who did not come back to us, and of thosi who have come back wounded and maimed, have been crowned with success. (Applause). I do not want to go* back over the last four or five years. Would we could blot it out of our memories. The origin was accursed. I don't want to look back. LOOKING FORWARD*. "I waut to look forward. We have learned many lessons during these •tiimea of. war. Wo have called upon our citizens* whatever their rank, to fight for their nation's existence and for freedom, and they have fought. together, nian and man, as citizens of New Zealand,' and as citizens of the Empire. I wonder what) they are/ g]c|ing to dA now the;' war is over. Wo cannot help feeling other than,a groat deal of unrest when we realise the unrest thati ,:s prevailing in New Zealand and elsewhere throughout iihe world. What is going to be the outcome of it all? Have we reformed ourselves, regenerated! our nation? Are wo in a position to< create a new and better'- world? Ido not know how -that question is to bo answered. I do not; know what answer the churches or the men of the country can sciue to it., but I have my doubts* as tip whether we will be all we ought to be unless we have learned some .lessons in regard tt)> regeneration during the last four or five years. There is nothing so serious as the relaition"hp betve*n man and man. We in New Zealand natter ourselves tthaft we havo been leading the world, and ' to a largo extent we have, by our legislative actions, done a certain number of wise things. I think New Zealand has an aotive-minded people, a fair-minded people. I wonder •' whether we can help tike world to devise better things. ■ . ' LEAGUE OF NATIONS. "The League'of Nations is part of the Peace. Ido not know whether the League of Nations is going to carry out the purpose for which it was'formed, but for myself I must welcome the principle underlying it, and we all hopo that what the League of Nations wants to- do may be done. (Applause). I don't know whether it will be successful or not. I question very much its success unless we-have learned lessons of'regeneration during Hho last four years. If we have not learned those lessons, we may -bo trusting to tfci.t' which.. will fail r.s at the supreme moment. I don't know what you feel a Britishers, but I tell you what I feel as a Britisher—that during the last many years our nation has set itself out to do —irrespective of its own people and the other nations with which it comes in contact to obtain that justice which we have relied upon on i.lh® past, and if that be soi, can we afford to ' trust ourselves simply to a League of Nations? Can we depend almost absolutely for our lines of communication, and for our exchange of* produce on the League of Nations? Can. we afford to* dispense with the British Navy? ("No" and loud appl xuso). League of Nations or no League ,of Nations, it\ is essential that we should see that our commerce goes. (Applause). f. said I was thankful, but I don't feel much jubilation. lam thankful that our nation ha® come out of th©_ s J:irifo with her prestige highor than it was before. ,- (Applause). lam thankful that when tho great statesmen of the world ineb in Paris our statesmen wsi'ov ii.ot second, to runy that were i there. (Applause). From what I hoar, and the source of ray informa>tion is sound, our statesmen at thsPeace Conforenco were prer-eminent: and vro hiave reason to be proud of tha'j- fact. It was said before the wh-r that our race 'was decadent. T don't rhiiik we'll find much decay now. 1 think that under all the circumstances they have come to light, and have shown that, notwithstanding tho fact that new natiens have

formed themselves, the Old Motherland is a virile as ever, and has -as good brains*, • and can use them as well, as the men. of -any other nation. .We want to srb down solemnly and declare that in the years to come we will allow nothing to develop in the .Motherland, so far as we can help it, •nor in our own country that shall bring us down to a lower scaile. What we have to do is ito so arrange our existence in future that we may i'na spirit of justice, and equity, and liberty, and .righteousness, elevate opr own New Zealand and the^ Empire itself to a higher standard,* that wo may occupy the position we have occupied in the past, and be an examplo in our >. dealing with, those who are under our control. No nation has dealt with those under its control in the same., broadminded spirit as we Britishers have. (Applause). THEIR MAJESTIES. "I want to make reference to the news which appears in the daily papers about their Majesties tbhe | King and Queen. (Cheers). I am a t believer in democracy, that ■ the democracy should ha,ve all its rights), and I am satisfied, from my knowledge of the past years, and my knowledge especially «f the past fqui" or five years, that no democracy with fuller rights and liberties exists or can exist under such a limited ■Monarchy as we Britishers possess. (Applause). The attitude of their Majesties during the war, their sympathy and kindness have done ji great deal to keep us together. (Applause). I don't know that some people recognise what an important .faotor it is in the life of a nation to have somebody at the head to keep a sympathetic ihiand on things in the nation's trials and difficulties, and, thank God, we have had them. (Applause). The time is for solid thought and solid determination —l thought of what we have been through and of what we have to face; solid determination to face our difficulti&s, whatever they may be, and with British pluck and enda/rance, and that spirit of equity and) truth and justice that has always characterised the men of our race." (Loud cheers).