Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1950. APPROACH TO KREMLIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 107, 18 February 1950, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1950. APPROACH TO KREMLIN

The .present election campaign in Britain has revealed Mr Churchill in his best ■ fighting mood, and Government members have not been slow to voice their displeasure, even going to the extent of characterising his policy as “guttersnipe politics.” Quite evidently what Mr Churchill has hac}. to say has hurt, because it has been the truth. But in his latest speech he has gone beyond local politics into the international sphere, and again he has revealed those qualities which, made him the greatest leader the nation ever had in wartime. He has made the move becausfe lie realises that the future of the nation depends so much on its foreign policy, and that policy up to the moment has not been such as to give the people peace of mind. The most striking point, at the moment is Mr 'Churchill’s suggestion of another meeting between Mr Stalin and British and American leaders to end the cold war. During the last war the leaders met on several occasions, and the ultimate success achieved by Allied arms was undoubtedly the result of these consultations, at which there was complete understanding and unity of purpose. There can be no sound argument against the same procedure for the settlement of peacetime problems. Mr Churchill has unbounded faith in Britain, and he has the ability to make a businesslike approach to the problems which are keeping East and West apart. Not only has he complete faith in Britain, but he revealed by his speech that he realises that nothing can be gained by single action. He said: “It is my earnest hope that we may find our way to some more exalted and august foundation for our safety than the grim, sombre balancing power of the atom bomb. It is my belief that the superiority in the atom bomb, if not indeed almost a monopoly of this frightful weapon, in American hands, is the surest guarantee of world peace. When I say ‘we’ I .must not let you forget that ‘we’ means the United States, and it is their power which protects; not only Britain, but Europe.” American reaction has jbeen mixed, and this is understandable in view of the recent decision by President Truman to proceed with research into the production of the hydrogen bomb. There seems to be a big body of opinion in America which supports* the “agreement through strength” policy, but on the other hand the President, in an interview, declared that lie remained unshaken in the belief that world peace could and would be attained. It will not be attained by the threat of destruction, and that is what the atom and hydrogen bombs mean. There must be control of some sort, and that point can only be reached by top-level consultations. Mr Churchill’s suggestion may have a big effect on the election result in Britain, and should he carry the day, then he will lose no time in making approach to the Kremlin.