FORCE V. RIGHT.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15294, 24 July 1923, Page 6

FORCE V. RIGHT.

THE WORLD TROUBLE. MR LLOYD GEORGE'S VIEWS. WORK OF THE CHURCHES. Mr Lloyd George addressed a crowded meeting of the Westbou-ne Park fellowship at Westbourne Park Chapel. Mr Lloyd George, who was warmly received, said it was only the Churcftes •of the land that could train and discipline the national conscience to a sense of its duty. He was not advocating that the Churches should take part in political controversy. The function of the Churches was to train the conscience and create such a feeling among the people that it would be easy for Governments and Parties to do right and impossible for them to do wrong. It was more difficult now than ever for the Churches to take part in political controversies. Under the old conditions there were two parties. He wished it were possible for there to be only two again. Some .of them preferred tranquillity. (Laughter.) That was a quection of temperament. Sometimes, from selfishness, people had a vested interest in existing evil, and they wanted to be left alone' to enjoy things as they were. These were the two national parties in any country, and so long as human nature went on they would find these two parties responding to the calls made on them. What was important was this—men' with a common purpose should act together so far as they could, because the difficulties in the way of progress were so overwhelming that even with unity of action it was not easy to achieve the end they had in view. But whatever the numbers of the parties, the function of the Churches was the same. ■ task of religion was to hold up an ideal before the eyes of the people, to'stimulate them to the sacrifices that were necessary to the attainment of those ideals. The real trouble in the world was the enthronement of force above right. He had taken, he supposed, & larger share in the settlement of labour disputes than almost any living man.' (Cheers.) His candid experience was that there was very little • difference between the two sides. Where employer or union refused to arbitrate in cases of dispute it was an appeal to force against right. (Cheers.) They might set up Leagues of Nations; they might pass Conciliation Acts and establish tribunals at The-Hague; they would not be respected, they would not be obeyed, until there. was a new temper in the world;''and that was the business of religion. One supreme service had been rendered by religion to humanity. Religion had taught men to take a long view of life. There were nations now sacrificing their own future and the future of ■ civilisation to ''snatch little temporary advantages. (Cheers.) . On the motion of Dr. Clifford, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Lloyd George, who afterwards addressed the people who had been unable to obtain admittance from the steps of the chapel.