"PEACE NOT WON BY PACIFISM”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 1 February 1939, Page 10

"PEACE NOT WON BY PACIFISM”

ARMING OF EMPIRE URGED COMMENT OF AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL “What are the portents for 1939?” asks the latest issue of ‘•Reveille,” a New South Wales journal connected with the returned soldiers’ movement, in a leading article. ‘‘With the problems which have brought this world into a seething pot of international unrest, the war veterans particularly have a profound concern,” continues the editorial. ‘‘Experience which has been bought dearly at the cost of life and limb has taught them that peace cannot be won by pacifism, but only by preparedness against all eventualities. Nations are like individuals, and mankind still retains in latent form the most primitive instincts of its remote ancestors. Our boasted civilisation cannot keep in check this primitive trait; otherwise close friends would not engage in fisticuffs against each other over some stupid remark or simple argument. ‘‘lt is only after the damage has been done that the futility of the whole thing is realised. What happens amojng individuals also happens among nations, but in the latter case there is no recourse to the comparatively gentle weapon of fisticuffs, but to an unloosening of satanic forces of wholesale death and destruction. The fact that nations, even those which have emerged victorious, have become impoverished by war, has not served as a deterrent. Nations are continuing to arm, and their allies (or possible foes) in the next war are being readily listed.

BRITISH EMPIRE A BULWARK “The British Empire stands as the most dependable bulwark against another world cataclysm. The temper of the British people is to ensure justice and fair dealing to all. Adequately armed, the British Empire would afford almost a certain guarantee of world peace. The necessity for this full preparedness is realised in every quarter of the British Empire to-day. Preparedness does not imply agression, but it would certainly curb the ambitions of any potential enemy. “Australia is worthily doing its share in the Promotion of Empire strength. Millions will be spent during the next few years in placing the Commonwealth defence system on the most modern plane. The nation has sent out a call for personnel to fill the gaps in the militia units. The young men of to-day. if they have the spirit of the generation of the Australian Imperial Forces period, will not hesitate.”

Australians Popular The harmonious relationship between Australian and English players last season was emphasised by Lieutenant-Col-onel R, S. Rait Kerr, secretary of the M.C.C., in a recent address to English county secretaries. Alluding to how much Don Bradman and Mr W. H, Jeanes helped toward this, he said: “No two individuals, one a captain and the other a manager, could have been better chosen for the tour.” His comment on the English Selection Committee was: "They came through the fire of an Australian season almost unsinged.” Hutton Improves We envy Hammond and his men in the warm sunshine of South Africa. It is evident that they are having a happy time, and are enjoying their cricket under conditions that are novel to those who have not been to South Africa before, states a London correspondent. To those at home one feature of the team's batting has been surprising. Hutton has always been regarded as a slow starter, even stodgy at the beginning of an innings. But in South Africa he has scored a good deal faster than his partner. Edrich. I am told that we shall see a good deal of difference in Hutton when he returns home; that he has not onlv thrown off his restraint, but that he has found rmany more scoring strokes. It is hard to believe that he has discovered these so quickly in South Africa. If there has been a change, I think it dates from his record-breaking innings in the last Test against the Australians. That tremendous triumph was bound to give him a more confident outlook, and encourage him to bat with the freedom one expects a young man to display. Besides. Hutton is now bound to feel that he has established himself in the game. Strickland at Madison Garden According to a London exchange the New Zealand boxer Maurice Strickland was to contest one of the preliminaries to the Tommy Far-Clarence Burman fight at Madison Square Garden this month, when Farr lost to Dempsey’s protege. Strickland's opponent was Buddy Knox, of Dayton Ohio, a 22-year-010 Irish-American, who is reputed to be a big puncher. Strickland was in the Dominion last winter and left these shores with hopes of meeting Farr in i Toronto. The projected bout fell

through. Then lie went over to England, being named as the opponent for Larry Gains in an elimination bout foi the British heavy-weight championship. The New Zealander’s luck was out again, for none of the British promoters would stage the bout. A disappointed man, Strickland went back to America last October and no news of his fighting in America in the interim has been received.