WAR'S AFTERMATH.

Northern Advocate, 22 October 1919, Page 3

WAR'S AFTERMATH.

PROBLEMS BEFORE EUROPEAN NATIONS.

In a letter received by the last English mail, Mr John I. Fox, 'hon. secretary and organiser of the British Section of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, expresses his views concerning the situation in Europe. Mr Fox writes:

"The New Zealand soldiers have nearly all gone. In a few days the visitation of our boys to France and England should become a memory and a rich page in the Empire's history. Since my arrival here I have been privileged to meet all sorts, of people*. I have discovered from them opinions about tne N.Z.E.F., of which the people of New Zealand should be proud. They have played the game and played it well. Right throughout the United Kingdom the 'Digger' is well-known. His bearing and manner, have been splendid, and much admired. Many homes * n tnis °ld land have learned to know something of the country, and its people where he came from. Thousands are, so to speak, acquainted with our hills > mountains, lake s and rivers, and are always casting eager glasses, to. 'become settlers. Now's the time to evolve scheme s to shape the future destiny of the country. We ought to start examining intending settlers ? or selecting them. To any keen observer it must he apparent that Europe, with its tragic memory and experiences of the war, with its huge- problems to create a new world, has got a great task before it. I venture to predict that the natives in the Pacific will have to come to the aid of the Old World. Just as it has taken centuries to create the present conception of things, with all its conventionalities and complex social systems, so it will take time to change things. Whilst that process is slowly going on it i s the duty of those 'Who loved their freedom and country in time of need and came from afar to protect it to still carry on their enthusiasm to serve in the new approaching epoch. National aims and a national character must be dealt apart from purely domestic affairs. Men and women must realise that unless these things are taken in hand, strange forces may overtake the world, and not only darken the outlook, but destroy that which humanity has cherished.