The Northern Advocate Daily THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1935. THE PRINCE’S LEAD

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1935, Page 6

The Northern Advocate Daily

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1935. THE PRINCE’S LEAD

Registered for transmission through the post, as a Newspaper.

Public utterances and printed statements, couched in pessimistic, if not utterly wicked, language, are heard so often, and are so calculated, to stir national antagonisms, that it is like a gleam . of sunshine oh a rainy day to hear the inspiring sentiments expressed by the Prince of Wales when addressing ex-servicemen who are members of the British Legion. His Royal Highness, as was stated in a cable message yesterday, evoked cheers when he eommnded a proposal that a deputation from the Legion should go to Germany and hold out the hand of friendship to German exservicemen. He felt that no more suitable body ©f men could “stretch forth the hand of friendship to Germany than ex-service-men who fought in the War, and who have now forgotten all about it.” The Prince is right. Who, indeed, could do more to wipe out the feelings which the War engendered than the men of all the combatant nations? Hymns of hate and all the other methods employed to key up the armies of the nations at war with one another were not used by the troops on active service: they were the almost exclusive property of those who stayed at home. And it has been noteworthy that the greatest sinners against efforts to restore friendly relations among ex-enemies have not been those who took part in the War. It is therefore cheering to hear of a definite effort by an organised body of British ex-service-men to do what they can to promote that feeling of international brotherhood without which the decisions of Governments can have little effect. It is not surprising to learn that the words of the Prince of Wales have made a marked impression in Germany, where his speech has had the greatest reception of any made outside the frontiers of the country for many months. According to General Goering, “it is a milestone along the road to an understanding between Britain and Germany, and is the greatest contribution towards the achievement of peace for some time.” This statement is not to be regarded as merely a diplomatic pleasantry, for the “Lokal Anzeiger” no doubt accurately interprets the significance of the Prince’s words when it says that the speech certainly was not made without the agreement of the British Government, and l shows that a change of sentiment ] Is taking place in Britain. The ] paper is not correct in suggesting , that there has ever been a desire :

on the part of the British Gov-1 ernmcnt to foster anti-German sentiment. On the contrary, the Government has gone further than many people deemed prudent in its efforts to restore Germany to her place in the councils of the nations and to bring about World peace. At the same time, it is perfectly true that the terrible consequences which continuation of enmity between nations must bring to the world as a whole has awakened a realisation that nothing should be left undone to create international amity. It is good to know that there are at work agencies for the creation of this international spirit. We referred earlier in this week to : the underlying principles of Rotary and the Boy Scout Movement, and it is indeed gratifying to hear that such an influential body as the British Legion is anxious to shake hands with their old antagonists, who no doubt waged war in the same spirit of patriotism and high endeavour as they themselves did. It is good also to hear that- the London newspapers have applauded the Prince’s suggestion, and the “News Chronicle” is on safe ground when it says that “the Prince has boldly and effectively used bis position to secure the attention which no other speaker could have hoped to command. ’ ’ Forces of evil are undeniably at work in the world, but the leaven of good is to be discerned by all but those who refuse to see it. They who cynically describe the German reception of the Prince’s speech as being purely lip service will discredit themselves and perform a disservice to a civilisation which must have peace or suffer annihilation.