"There Shall Be No More War!"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21165, 23 April 1932, Page 4 (Supplement)

"There Shall Be No More War!"

PRIZE-WINNING ESSAY.' By KELLIK DONOVAN. 7. Firth Terrace. Karori, "Wellington. Original. (Age 18 years.) On the fii'st Anzac Duy, in 1915, Australia and New Zealand wrote their names forever on the scroll of fame. Anzac Day, a day of remembrance, for not only the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, but for all those who died during the war—died that we may have peace. When we think of the splendid achievements of our soldiers, we cannot do anything else than sing in their praise and honour. "'1 hey won for themselves not marble tombs and fading inscriptions, bul a place in the minds of Men." And when a greaL Sabbath-silence fell over the trenches 011 .that memorable occasion, November 11, 1918, people all over the world -.were filled with joy. " The war it. over! " they cried. " There shall be no more war! " No real thinker believes that war is necessary now. Our ancestors lived in constant, war among themselves. Every quarrel or dispute was settled by lighting. Every man carried a club to bring down on his enemy's skull. There was no use i" individual fighting, so families fought, against each other. These families joined into bands and in time formed into nations. Each nation with its defensive army was jealous, suspicious of the other. They were always fighting—fighting for supremacy. We read of wars in history. How kings wished to place their sons on thrones, or for possession of certain lands. But those causes have died away forever. Fighting, ages ago, was for the progress of civilisation, hut it is not necessary now. The courage and self-sacrifice found in •war are always called forth from mankind when they are required—in fire, .mine accidents, shipwrecks; there is as much courage- in pence as in war. Men are finding that the differences between nations are merely on the surface, for all nations' are composed of the same kind of people. '! here shall be no more war with everpaining knowledge. Knowledge has made the earth smaller. There are new ways of travelling and carrying things, so that there is established a world wide commerce and (lie civilised world is gradually joining together as a great whole in the bonds of peace. In August, 1928. eight representatives of great nations of the world, signed the Kellogg Pence Pact, a pledge of bono ir for peace. I he League of Nations is doing a great deal in bringing about world peace, settling disputes in a friendly way. for u the pen is mighlier than the sword." And we, thp youth of a great Empire, can help them in their great cause and say, I here shall be no more war," if •we look for (he higher ideals of civilisation. We really believe in time that war will cease, but as an unknown author once IWrote: War begets poverty. Poverty peace; Pence begets plenty. Then riches increase; Riches bring pride. And pride is war's sround: War begets poverty. So goes the round. €0 we can only wait for time, that everpresent. force, to change human nature and make «.he signing of peace pacts unnecessary. Then an era of peace shall descend upon the world, an era when \here shall' be no more war.