The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1916. ENSURING PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1916. ENSURING PEACE.

The reception accorded to Mr. Hujhes by the British Premier and his colleagues in the Ministry bears emphatic testimony td the high appreciation entertained in the Motherland lor the services rendered by the Dominions in her great time of sore need. One of the outstanding features of the present struggle is the strengthening of the Imperial ties, and the opening up of a new era of Empire Federation founded oa the complete though tardy recojniton of the fact that the interests of the Motherland and the Dominions are so closely interwoven that they must stand or fall together. As Mr. Bonar Law pointed out at the Parliamentary luncheon tendered to Mr. Hughes, hitherto the Dominions have given so much in money and lives, but had been granted so little control that it was surprising they had refrained from criticism as to the anomalous position thev occupied. The war has shown that the Empire is one in spirit and action, therefore, contended Mr. Bonar Law, means should be taken to make it one in structure. Mr. Hughes followed up this argument most ably by expressing the hope that a policy would be evolved whereby the word "Umpire" would mean something more than it had in the past, and in so doing he took commendabiy high grounus for .his contention. It will be noticed lhat there was an absence of all selfishness in the motive whereon he based his hope. It was not out of any desire for material gain, but on the lofty principle that a permanent federation of Empire would ensure the peace of (he world. It would have been impossible, for him to have voiced a more noble sentiment than this, and the attainment of so great a boon is worth all the sacrifices it has entailed. The war has produced many horrors, I.ut it has also taught us several lessons, not the least of which is the km wledc;i! that in the past we have boon living in a Fool's Paradise. Now that we have awakened from the ugly dream it would, as Mr. Hughes so pointedly remarked, lie criminal not to learn wisdom from Germany's revealed intention of securing, if possible, the commercial and industrial domination of the earth. Mr. Hughes spoke trenchantly and forcefully on the way in which Britain had bound herself body and soul to (he German octopus, adding that we should be more than fools if we did not learn a lesson from the manner in which we had been betrayed. With the passing of the war there must also be the disappearance for all time of Germany's ambition for world dominion. The peace of the world can only be obtained by crushing the life blood out of the German octopus. The existence of a real active Imperial Federation, firmly cemented by the sacrifices entailed by the war, and by the potent spirit of unity, will so strengthen and viriliso the Empire that, assisted by our Allies, and encouraged by the common determination to uphold the rights of the smaller nations, neither Germany nor Austria will be able to again let loose the dogs of war, and peace will prevail. In helping to pave the way for the new era, Mr. Hughes has done good service and deserves the highest bsteeni of his country and of the otheit £ominion> •