WORLD DISARMAMENT

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 32

WORLD DISARMAMENT

t A . NOTABLE GATHERING PARTY LEADERS JOIN IN COMMON CAUSE. WELLINGTON, October 5. The cause of world disarmament was eloquently advocated at a large and representative gathering at the Wellington Town Hall this evening. The meeting Was notable in that the leaders of all three political parties—Messrs G. W. Eorbes, J. G. Coates, and H. E. Holland —appeared on the same platform in support of a common cause. Speeches wenalso made by Archbishop O'Shea and Canon Percival James, who moved and seconded the following resolution, which was. carried unanimously:—“That this meeting warmly welcomes the fnrthcom ing Disarmament Conference and urges the Government to do all in its power to bring about a real reduction in the armies, navies, and air forces of the world." The Prime Minister said it was thduty of every citizen to support the work bring carried out by the League of Na tions. They had seen the terrible effects of the Great War, many of which they were suffering from to-day. Sentiment in support of the ideal of "No MonWar" was growing. They might feel that in far-away Wellington that sentiment was of no account, but it was the senti meat built up by individuals th t wa.represented in the sentiment of a nation. The League of Nations had done invaluable work. The gathering that evening would show Great Britain that the desire for peace .was a strong force in New Zealand. Britain had set a fine example to the other nations of the world in disarming. He was quite certain that when the 1 iisarmament Conference was held next February a great deal would be accomplished.

Mr Coates snid that those who took part in the late war could speak of its horrors and that with all others they desired to prevent future wars. It would be no exaggeration to say that the Great War was in some measure responsible for the conditions that existed to-day. For financial reasons the world, whicn was almo-t on the edge of bankruptcy, should take note of the cost of war. There should be a complete reconsiders tion of the general world position in r< gard to armaments. It was a happy augury that most of the leaders of thought and men and women throughout the world were giving consideration to the problem. “ The meeting at the Albert Hall in July last was the greatest of its kind the world has ever seen,” declared Mr Holland, who added that the coming con ferenee at Geneva would be the greatest of all conferences. The known dead in the Great War numbered 10,873,500, of which Great Britain lost .1,000,000. In addition, there were 20,000,000 wounded. Those figures did not include the losses through pestilence and other causes due to the war. It would be a cominonsense thing if all the nations of the world were to wipe out their war debts.— (Applause.) Britain was paying £1,000,000 a day or £6OO every minute of the day in war debts. “ We are reaching the stage,” Mr Holland concluded, “ when we have got to choose between dethroning Mars, the god of war, and enthroning the Prince of Peace and keeping Him on His throne. The world to-day is war weary. I have never believed that any war and the lives sacrificed in it have been worth while. War must be written out as a means of settling the disputes between nations, or civilisation will face its own destruction.”