Nov. 11, Twenty years ago today the horrendous sound of human strife which had occupied men's minds for over four long and weary years ended in what seemed to be a strange silence, Mankind had become so accustomed to war that its cessation left it not only dismayed but somewhat disbelieving, unbe~ lief arising out of a feeling of unreality. It seemed hardly possible that men who had pursued the dreadful science of war could ever return to the humdrum activities of peace, if indeed it were peace, for the events of the past two decades have clearly shown that bellum magis desierat, quam par carperat. That is what the world now realizes; it was the end of war, but not neces sarily the beginning of peace. When the mind is thrown back to November 11, 1918, the realization on that day that the arms of war were to be laid aside and high hopes of permanent amity were being raised, it is possible to understand how greatly humanity has disappointed itself, indeed has frustrated itself and robbed itself of all the benefits which it was hoped a war to end war would bring. The world has seen since a rapid deterioration in international morality, an increase in the cynical disregard of national commitments, so serious that it gives rise to the question as to whether or not civilization is not even now at the commencement of its collapse. All that ended on this day twenty years ago was the outward visible application of the physical means of struggle, 'a fight with other weapons was toward, and it has not yet been brought to an end. It may never be until another bout of bloodletting brings mankind back to some sort of sanity, when, however, it may then be too late. 'This peace has achieved little or nothing, and the grandiose schemes which were laid for the future have been in the main brought to naught. On two continents warfare is' being prosecuted. For two years past the population of tortured Spain has been the victim of warring ideologies, while in China, for nearly sixteen months past, millions of innocent Chinese have been the victims of a ruthless invasion in which imperial designs are given an ideological mask, Since last Armistice Day the world has been brought right to the brink of a general outbreak of hostilities. During September Europe watched aghast the rapid approach to what seemed to be inevitable war, a war which no nation wanted and which was only averted by means which are still the subject of considerable controversy. Calm reflection however will in all probability show that while the cost of peace was heavy, while sacrifices had to be made which seemed almost too high, realization of what would now be happening throughout Europe, if Mr. Chamberlain had not been successful, must justify the thought that, perhaps, after all the price was not too great. On the other hand it is unlikely that the world will consent to pay any higher price, and the respite which has now been securoa will need to be jealously guarded if present instability is to be transformed into greater security. It imperative that the memory of those mil-ions of brave men of all nationalities who Mr. Churchill that the hea should be bothered by. a Pa cupying no official position, of a great state stability. They may, as Mr, Greene remarks, }made the great sacrifice for their countries liamentarian oe-remain as undemocratic as ever, but fidelity|during the four years which ended on the not even that of to a system is not necessarily' to be con-day of which this is the twentieth anniversary She ofa party. The British Government can demned; it may possibly be praised. shall be honoured in the perpetuation of that
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.