FOLLY OF WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1924, Page 6

FOLLY OF WAR.

COST TO THE NATIONS. DISARMAMENT ADVOCATED.. WORLD-WIDE CAMPAIGN. A demonstration against war and in favour of disarmament was held at New Plymouth last night, when the following resolution was carried:— < ‘That this meeting of citizens nl New Plymouth sends fraternal greetings to similar gatherings now being held throughout the world to express abhorrence of war and militarism, joins With them in declaring it to be the duty of all peoples and Governments to strive for universal disarmament. It therefore calls upon the Government to use all its influence towards initiating a movement amongst all civilised States towards general disarmament by mutual agreement, the abandoning of war as a means of settling differences, and the adoption of principles of mutual help and co-operation, together with the recognition that it is moral and spiritual force, rather than physical, that must regenerate the world. “li further calls on the Government to: (a) Pursue a policy of international co-operation: (b) Io support a strengthened and enlarged Leigue of Nations; (el urge Ihe settlement,of international disputes by conciliation and judicial arlutration: (d) support the convocation of an international conference io achieve these purposes.” The meeting, which was presided over ’ by the Mayor (Mr. F- E. Wilson) and addressed by Mr. T. T. Armstrong. M.P.. Mrs. 0. Blundell and the Rev. A. H. Collins, was one of a number of similar gatherings held all over the world last night as part of on anti-war campaign. HUMANITY CHIEFLY GOOD. Mr. Armstrong affirmed his belief that the great majority of human life was good, irrespective of country or nationality. War, he said, was the outcome of corrupt administration, and people must get rid of the idea that the British Empire was the only place in the world where right thinking men and women dwelt. It must be remembered that the atrocities in war-time were not confined to one side, even if, when one country declared war against another, those in authority thought it was their duty to paint everything done by the enemy as black as possible.

Mr. Armstrong then enumerated various statistics relating to the numH'U’ of men killed, wounded and maimed in the Great War. Since the beginning of the war. he continued, Great Britain’s war expenditure had increased 68A per cent, France’s 189 per cent., Italy’s 189 per cent., Japan’s 228 per cent., Belgium’s 540 per cent., and Portugal's 1023 per cent. Worse, perhaps, than this expenditure, were the inventions, such as the Matthews’ death ray, which, in the words of Matthews, was “purely an invention of warfare,” and gas-making factories in America, which wore capable of producing gas deadly enough to wipe out whole armies.

War in the future, continued Mr. Armstrong, would be waged not against armies and navies, but against the civilian population. Already destructive forces were in existence which, it was Claimed, would be capable of destroying every form of life in London within three hours. And all that was necessary to stop this frightful preparation with its awful possibilities, was the exercising of a little reason and common sense, just a little endeavour to understand the other man’s point of view. WOMAN'S POINT OF VIEW. Mrs. O- Blundell stated at the outset that she spoke as a representative of the ‘Women’s Christian Temperance Union, and appeared on the platform because she felt it her duty to do so. She felt she need not remind her hearers of the awful evils following the Great War. nor of the years of sacrifices, hardships and heart-burnings during the years of strife. The women had hot said much, and they would not say much, hut they would do a great deal. They would strive by all means possible to put an end to the sacrifice of life, wrecking of homes and all the horrors for which war was responsible. The Rev. A. H. Collins spoke in a strain similar to that of the previous speakers, but with a tone considerably more optimistic. The prospects for universal peace, he said, were never rosier than they were to-day. There were three reasons which led him to believe this, the growing distrust of the efficacy of physical force, the realisation that the victories of peace, were vastly greater than those of war, and the awakening amongst the manhood of the world; The resolution was then moved by Mrs. Blundell and carried unanimously. During the evening Mrs. J. Craig, AT.C.L., sang “The Promise of Life,” Mrs. H. H. Skelton playing the accompaniment.