THE AFTERMATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20218, 1 April 1929, Page 6

THE AFTERMATH.

CHURCHILL'S MEMOIRS. /' / ■ fWHEN THE GREAT WAR ENDED ENGLAND'S "HIGHEST POSITION." REPETITIONS OF HISTORY. Sy the jught nos T . wikston chitrchiix. [(Copyright—By nrrnticoment with the Times, London.) / No I. Tho conclusion of the Great War raised England to the highest position she has yet attained. For the fourth time in four successive centuries sho had headed and Sustained the resistance of Europe to a military tyranny; and for the fourth time the war had ended leaving tho group of small States of tho Low Countries, for ;whose protection England had declared war, in full independence Spain, the French Monarchy, the French Empire, and the German Empire, had all overrun and sought- to possess or dominate these regions. During 400 years England had withstood them all by war and policy, and all had been defeated and driven out. To that list of mighty sovereigns and eupremo military lords which already included Ph'lip 11., Louis XIV. snd Napoleon, there could now be added the name of William, 11. of Germany. Theso four great series of events, directed unswervingly to tho same end through so many generations and all crowned with success, constitute a record of persistency and achievement, without parallel in the history of ancient or modern times. " Substantial Advantages." But other substantial advantages had been obtained. Tho menace of the German Navy was destroyed and the overweening power of Germany had been for many years definitely set back. Ihe Russian Empire, which had been our ally, had been succeeded by a, revolutionary Government, which had renounced all claims to Constantinople, and which by its inherent vices and inefficiency could not soon be a serious military danger to India. On the other hand England was united with her nearest neighbour and oldest enemy—France—by ties of comradeship in suffering and in victory which promised to be both strong and durable. British and United States troops had fought for the first time side by side, and the two great branches of the English-speaking .world had begun again to write their history in common Lastly, the British Empire had stood every shock and strain during tho long and frightful world convulsion. The Parliamentary institutions by which the life of the Mother Country and the self-gov-erning Dominions found expression had proved themselves as serviceable for waging war as for maintaining freedom and progress in times of peace. The invisible of interest, sentiment and tradition which across all the waters of the world tinited the Empire had proved more effective than the. most binding formal guarantees', and armies of half a million Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders had, been drawn by these indefinable and often imperceptible attractions across greater distances than any armies bad travelled before, to die and conquer for a cause and quarrel which only remotely affected their immediate material safety. 'All the peoples and all the creeds of India during the years of crisis had made in their own way a spontaneous demonstration of loyalty, and sustained tho war by arms and money on a scale till then unknown. The rebellion in South Africa in 1914 had been repressed by the very ißoer generals who had been our most dangerous in the South African War, and who had signed with us the liberating treaty of Vereeniging. Only in parts of Ireland had there been a failure and a repudiation, and about that Hhere was a lengthy tale to tell. Armistice Night. On the night of the Armistice I dined toith the Prime Minister at Downing Street- W« were alone m the large rocin from whose walls the portraits of Pitt and Fox, of Nelson and Wellington, and ►—perhaps somewhat incongruously—of Washington then looked down. One of the most admirable traits in Mr. Lloyd George's character was his complete freedom at the height of his power, responsibility and good fortune from anything in tho nature of pomposity or superior airs. He was always natural and simple. He fwas always exactly the same to those who knew him well: ready to argue any point, to listen to disagreeable facts even when controversially presented. One could say anything to him on the terms that he could say anything back. The magnitude and absolute character of the victory induced a subdued and detached state of mind. There wa3 no feeling that tho ,work was done. On the contrary, the realisation was strong upon him that a new and perhaps more difficult phase of effort was before him. My own mood ,was divided between anxiety for tho future and desire to help the fallen foe. The conversation ran on the great qualities of the German people, on the tremendous fight they had made against three-quarters of the world, on the impossibility of rebuilding Europe except with their aid. At that time we thought they were actually starving, and that under the twin pressures of defeat and famine the Teutonic peoples—already in revolution—might slide into the grisly gulf that had already devoured Russia. J suggested that we should immediately, pending further news, rush a dozen great ships crammed with provisions into Hamburg. Although the Armistice terms enforced the blockade till peace was signed, the Allies had promised to supply what was necessary, and the Prime Minister balanced the project with favouring eye. I- ron: outside the songs and cheers of multitudes could be remotely heard like the surf on tho shore. We shall see that different sentiments were soon to prevail. The Fleeting Hour. Tr,?r? N u VeT y ibpr evening the three S' 1 , ; bead of Great Britain, the ill AT srtal.es and France seemed to be stood" vaster WO,l<J - Hehilld tLer " last nrint IGS - or S anisßd to tho with r ri'fil J i )lClnK . ,n V,ctor y :,nii inspired , gratitude and confidence for tho chiefs who had led them there. In their hands lay armies of irresistible might, and fleets without whose sanction no vessel crossed the sea upon or beneath the surface. rheie was nothing wise, right and necessary which they could not in unity decree. And these men had been drawn together across differences of nationality and interest and across distances on land and sea by the comradeship of struggle against'a dreaded foe. Together they had reached tho goal. Victory absolute and incomparable was in their hands. What .would they do with it ? But tho hour was fleeting. Unperceived by tho crowd as bv the leaders, the spell by which they had ruled was already breaking. Other forms of authority would presently come into play and much might yet be done. But for tho supreme tasks, for the best solutions, for the most serviceable policies, now was the only timo. These men must come together. Geographical and constitutional obstacles aro mere irrelevancies They must meet face to face and settle swiftly after discussion the largest practical questions opened by the total defeat of the enemy. They must relegato to. a lower piano all feelings of passion roused in conflict, all considerations of party politics in the countries Alley represent, all personal desire to con- • P owe r. They must seek only the i' a "angements possible for the brave i«.Ti. onS j j bad followed them, for a tmtld* 1 °P° an d an awe-struck tTo; bo Continued^