THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1927 THE WORLD IN 1927.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19832, 30 December 1927, Page 8

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1927 THE WORLD IN 1927.

The close of a year is a convenient time to strike a balance in world affairs, to judge what losses and gains have been made in the twelve months preceding. The choice of date is entirely arbitrary, for in human affairs there is a continuity that knows nothing of the turn of the year. Still the convention which regards this season as a milestone is convenient. Passed in review, 1927 shows a fortunate freedom from those great crises which give the historian his high lights in telling the world's story. Written history has been described as far too much a chronicle of wars and kings to reflect accurately the life of common humanity. If that be so, 1927 has contributed no wars in the full sense of the word, to its list. There has been much fighting in China, of an involved and baffling kind. It seems an admixture of civil war and organised brigandage; at one stage the sinister influence of Russia and the development of a bitter anti-British bias threatened to spread the flame further. Up to the present the efforts to avoid international complications have succeeded. Though China is very far from ceasing to cause anxiety to the many nations with interests there, the menace of its disturbed affairs is momentarily not so great as it was a little time since. The Balkans have provided their usual crop of war scares. Tension between Italy and Yugoslavia has seemed dangerous more than once, but even a diplomatic breach has been successfully avoided. Rumania witnessed the passing of King Ferdinand. He has been sue-' ceeded by his infant grandson, under a regency; here there is danger, for Prince Carol, having renounced the succession, threatens to make active claim to the throne. Nevertheless, the chronicle of wars and kings has not been sensational. That world within a world, the British Empire, has experienced a year free from any extraordinary features. At the close of 1926 Britain herself had just emerged from one of the most prolonged industrial struggles of her history, the great coal strike, with which, at its opening, was associated the general strike. Nothing of a similarly epochal character has occurred this year. A reaction against last year's strike fever has produced a con certed move by Labour and Capital to stabilise peace in the industrial field. Economically, Britain has engaged in a steady climb upward from the depression the great strike brought. The summit has not yel been won, but testified to the good progress made. With her European neighbours Britain has maintained cordial relations—one excepted. The police raid on Soviet House, London, the subsequent breach of relations with Russia, formed one of the sensational epi sodes of the year. In the Dominions. Canada's jubilee celebration and the official opening of the Australian Federal capital at Canberra were the two great events. Canada act'ed as host to the Prince of Wales and to Mr. Baldwin, the British Prime Minister, during the event. The Duke and Duchess of York re pre sented the Royal family at Canberra, visiting New Zealand en route. The course of Irish affairs was marred by the cold-blooded murder of Mr. Kevin O'Higgins, a member of the Government, who had served the Free State faithfully and well. A general election in critical circumstances threatened to place the Republicans in the ascendant, but the Government, headed by Mr. Co& grave, returned with a majority sufli cient to keep it in office. India saw the appointment of the Statutory Commission, which will examine the working of its reformed system of government. The colonies and protectorates were represented at a conference akin to the Imperial conference, where their special in terests were discussed. Thus the Emnire pursued its destiny thfough 1927. Internationally the event of the year was the Naval Arms Conference, called at Geneva on the suggestion of the United States, attended by that country, Britain and Japan. It was a disappointment when France and Italy declined to | associate themselves with this effort

to extend the limitation of naval armaments agreed upon at the earlier Washington Conference. The main subject considered at Qeneva, the placing of a limit on cruiser strength, proved too difficult for settlement. The peculiar needs of the Empire, with its long, and vital lines of ocean communication, prevented Britain from agreeing easily to the placing of any arbitrary limits on the class of ship proved most essential for the protection of merchant shipping. Earnest and protracted discussion failed to yield tangible results, so that the conference ended without any agreement being reached. Disarmament was also discussed under the auspices of the League of Nations. This year's proceedings differed from others in that Russia was represented at the table.. Actual results of the conference were not remarkable, but there has been evidence that these extensive discussions on disarmament are strengthening the desire for it among the peoples affected. The most signal achievement of the teague year was the inauguration of a settlement movement by Poland and Lithuania, between whom a technical state of war had long existed. The international outlook, all counted, "has been reasonably placid. In other fields of human endeavour, notably aviation, marked progress has been made, but here, as in public events, there is little that can be regarded as forming a great episode in history. In nothing has 1027 reached great heights or great depths. Its exit is tranquil, leaving the world to wonder whether 1928 will hold more of high adventure.