Patea & Waverley Press FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER 12, 1919. BE READY

Patea Mail, Volume XLIII, 12 September 1919, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press FRIDAY,SEPTEMBER 12, 1919. BE READY

Vvc are glad ■[■-.) iiolc that the views we have i'i-o:,] (line to time expressed Will] "I'Cg.'ll'd 1.0 the il'cd ;':!' Ihe people of Hie Umpire io be ready f'or the ue:ct war, whenever it may happen to break out, are endorsed by no less a person than iiie Prime Minister of this Dominion, who. coming as he does si raighi iVom ihe 'Peace Bible,

whore lie has minified wilh the hading statesmen of the A!He;-, may he said tu he a competent authority on ihe subject. Speaking at Vi';i!i;:;i!!r:ii on Sat us day,

we. riasscy w.-od these woigkly words : '"'The mi'lonlm.!." he .aid, "was not yet. The last war had. not been .fought, (lei-many

and liussia might come together, and he could not think of another Power which might join them, and then (lie band wilt begin to ;>'ay. il' such a 'war comes—il wili probably noi; be for -iO years —it wiil be a grealor war than 'ho recent one. We musl not be killed into any :fa!::o security begotten of Ihe defeat of Lormauy. 'ihe danger of. anolhor war was mmiher point why the punishment of (icrmany should be severe, so that i 1 might act as a deK rrcnt io oilier nations,- and Hiere were some who would follow (,ermany's example if they had the h adc-i's. if we knew a deterrent was not necessary we. should have been inclined to say 'Bo, and sin no more.' But a deterrent wa.s; n< eessai-y." .Referring to Ihe League of Nations, Isiv. Aiassey : aid tlitit there were a groat number who were sceptical as to the League, and he thought not without : ea-'.ou. L'e hoped the League would be a great success, but he • l : d iiui believe it would put an ,iid to war, and wo nuts! beep up our armies ami navies, especially •lie 'alter, without which a war c mid not be won. This included of course the mercantile marine, ■•ur existence as a nalion depended on ihe Navv, which must be

••■■. ainieined at proper strength. The. League of editions was not a complete protection against war but it must be remembered Ihai

if wits only in its infancy. .All i-gli l -thinking people arc .supporters of the League. Air. Alasscy went on to speak of the composition of the League, which in ihe first place consisted of the Allied nations who went to war 'for the freedom of humanity. in lids conned ion, he said, lie put Britain

iO'si every lime. 1 hough he gave inc. other Allied nations cvvvy credit. Britain';; effort, however, was incomparably greater than ai.y of Ihe oilier naiions. lie was no militarist, if lie could wipe war on! be would do s.o, bul they lied io iceoenise lhal it would require force to enforce discipline jiiiiongst the turbulent naiions.. Speaking ill anolher function Mi*. Mersey also said he would like to think war was at an end, that there would be no more war;-:, bill he could not. Lord Jellicoe had ■warned litem of what might be expected. Britain had come successfully ihrough Ihe war, but we had ma.de enemies who would never forgb.e. Though another war might not eeeniuale for many years lo come, it was inevitable. Britain, and America had entered into a compact to stand or fall with. France in the event of an attack, and New Zealand must also bo prep;;red, and he believed they would prove as successful in the future ;is they bed done in Ihe mrd. When the next war eawe ivew Zealand might play a much ,iore prominent pari, for there was ii possibility of live Pacific being Ihe (heat re. We would have jo look to the Xa\y, move, and bigger ships were wauled for Dav-

ai defence, and >:ew Zcabum ninsl keep r.brcasi and not be'lulled into a .false sense of security." •.Vhcii we add these weeds of Ai r.

"dassey's I'.; iiioso or Vi v-ount Jelbeoe people niiiy bo pardoned at something akin b) :i!l- ---«.■;('!• and disappoint li'ient at the actions <u ihsso who have not iho ■facilities possessed by Lord .Jellic:i" and .Mr. .Mnssoy of knowing wha! is p:oin<>- on behind I lie rceiios, and yet who would ask Ibc people to liirow preparation 1o Hie winds and bo cani>'hl na])p!u<>' once ajA'ain. Head .-JoUieoo's ■>. arniii;:;', whie.h could :ioi be dearer was ejniahiod in Iho folbwhu>; word:; : "There is." no declared, 'a tendency an:oi;{.',' titc various people, :-b:co peace was declared. '■■, ihbd; Hod Hove is no need to htirry a.boid b -bo,; !•■. ady i'or Ibo next war. People a.r;;uo Hud Ilio world is eshau-iod, thai il wiil li;. 20. '!'•. -i-O, or ;>0 years, il' ever, before there is another war. Well, hisiory doe:, not show thai, History shows lliiit one war breeds a'.iolhor. History :dso sliow:; thai if you wanl peace you must be ready for war ; and I strongly my feiiow-counl rynien not loin- penny-v. ise and pomid-fool- !.■■!]." These, words are. nol unlike Hie warnings uilered by the late Lord b'obci is prior io Hie war, ,-, id Hie d< op'o, if llh'.v are wise, ■,'li! i-iiore Hie appeals of the s--.;:p-box poiilician and lake Iho words of H'k.' sialesinan and the expert seriously to lieait.