The New Zealand Times THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1927. WAR AND PEACE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 12659, 20 January 1927, Page 6

The New Zealand Times THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1927. WAR AND PEACE

Sir Tames Allen has been to Geneva. He has come back without illusion, seeing the facts of the world’s life as they are. This vision he is sharing with his fellow-countrymen, to whom he has recently returned. Though no longer in his country’s employ, he is doing the country good service. He is spreading clear vision over the land.

Like most of us, Sir James has some hope of a peaceful future for the world. But, unlike the dreamers, he does not let his hope of possibilities mar his judgment of realities. At the same time, he is not permitting his judgment of realities to fall into despair. Summed up, these can easily be, by any observer inclined to pessimism, made a cause of despair. -» Among these realities are habits of thought, narrow and allsweeping, ingrained by centuries of indulgence, and apparently justified by the dire certainties to, be seen on many pages of history. There is a tendency, very widespread, to regard this condition of thought as fatal to all attempts whatsoever to establish permanent international peace. __ In fact, this conclusion is only another way of saying that you "cannot alter human nature by any attempt to cure what is bad in it. This is the view of those who have opposed the league of Nations from its inception, as inspired by a Utopian philosophy, unrelieved by any gleam of practical success during its short subsequent life. In their eyes, the aspirations for which the League of Nations stands are not realisable, and all efforts of the League as so much time wasted. But the success of much that has been attempted by the League of Nations is a good answer to this pessimism. It is enough in substance to justify some hope of the final success of the League of Nations. Now, there is here no certainty. Therefore, it is prudent'to prevent this measure of hope from leading us to the possibility of a failure which would inevitabjy spell disaster to the world. Therefore, Sir James concludes, we must, while hoping for the best, prepare for the worst. In face of the actual conditions of the world’s reality, we must, as part of the British Empire, maintain a strong defensive effort. It is imperative to keep ourselves ever in readiness to meet attack. Any failure in this would be inexcusable; even criminal. Let us continue to help the League of Nations in every way we can, without neglecting our duty of defence in any single particular.