EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10765, 13 May 1911, Page 1

EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

TuEiii: are many reasons why King ' George should bo The Peace of the satisfied with tho rc-Eng'ish-speaking solutions passed at World. tho .Guildhall the other day. Firstly, he is the head of one. of the sections of the English-speaking people affected—not the larger section nor the wealthier, but the lirst, historically, as Empirebuilder, incomparably the more experienced, and, as having influence in the world, second to none. Then he is a King wiio lives to do his duty by his subjects, and, more than this, ho is the son of his father, who is known to us, and will be known to future generations, as "the Peacemaker." Above all things, King George is a practicalminded man who is behind the and, therefore, his appreciation may be translated into the foreshadow of the roming arbitration treaty between. Britain and the United States of America. What other conclusion is possible, when we consider'that the leading speaker at the Guildhall meeting was the. Prime Minister of England,, that he was seconded by the- Leader of" tho Opposition, and that a Prime MinisV ter of the oversea dominions "spoke warmly and representatively in support? One of the Irish delegates told' an r.T;i] : -"-!eo the other, day that it was .well understood in America that until the twenty millions of the Irish, race in the States were mollified, by the extension of the rights of self-government to their relatives in tho parent country, the "United States Government would make no treaty of alliance with Groa£ Britain. That may bo'truo, or it may. be far-fetched —a sort of threat held out by one with an obvious .motive. But, there will be nlonty of time to consider, a treaty of alliance after the treaty of. arbitration is signed, sealed and delivered. The one is snr. l to follow tho other as run follows dawn. In this (vise tho dawn will be tho period of the granting of Home Rule to Ireland, and fiat once established there will he no;hing but eagerness on the part of Anir'-rieu for tho treaty. Possibly that ::iav be one of the reasons for the; ;\t ; 'faction of King George. It is. ;•■: r-.sible that Franco may follow soon, and after that, there may be n deluge, of signatures from all the ends of the. ■-.■■. rib. In this tercentenary year of tho Kuglish translation of the Bible such linivor.-al pacification will be a mo.st opixirtinio as well as most magnificent fact. Tt will b° a sign that at last the principles of Christianity are beginning to; count.for more than tho adornment v.ith pious aphorisms of the opening lines of international treaties.