CANADIAN RALLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 45, 5 February 1943, Page 2

CANADIAN RALLY

"RUSSIA WON'T EAT US"

At :i great fathering of the Canadian Aid to Russia, held recently in Toronto, Wende.' 1 Wilkie madrt significant statements from Avhlci) v.'e quote the following:—"We have gathered here to honour our Russian Allies. Their successes in® battle against the Nazis have proven that their system of Government, whether we like it or not, has, a vitality which cannot be derived, from 'the leadership hut from the people themselves. "This meeting is symbolical of the nature of this war. Either it is a war of a 'great alliance of peoples,' who are lighting unitedly for freedom, or it is nothing. The war can be. fought either by a great concentration of all our energies, inspired by one strategy on a global scale—or i. 1 can be lost. "We should speak about this war as a war of the United. Nations, we should talk about its. result; we should work out a united programme for all to follow; or we. may come to a danger that we have worked ami sacrilicecl to win a war without a goal. "1 tell you, people of Canada, that, this war is cither all or nothing. There no half-measures to win freedom and cooperation between ourselves. "We are fighting to survive in the United States, in Canada, in Australia, in China, in Africa, and in New Zealand. And we have to win thi< survival. "I say, as I was speaking to the whole world, that people should formulate their aims 1 even during the war. I am endeavouring to persuade {hat talks about these aims should be inaugurated among different countries of the world—now. I am living in a constant fear that this war may end before the nations of the world reach a united understanding about what they arc fighting for and what they expect afiter the war. • "The people of the world must win the Avar. They must win also the peace. And for this reason I come to you to-night—not to> plead for help to Mr Stalin or to the Union of the Societ Socialistic Republic. I am asking you, as people, men and Avomen, -to help the men and women of Russia. We have gathered. here to honour and to help ono brave nation Avhich is our Ally. Although there arc some people Avho do not agree AA'ith the Russian political economy, they must admit that the. Russians are fighting for their Fatherland Avholeheartedly. "Many in ithc democratic countries Avere afraid of SoA'iet Russia and did not trust her. They were afraid of her economic order which would be destructive, to their oavii order. This fear is a sign of weakness. Russia does not Avant to us nor to lead us. That AA T ill not happen if—and it is necessary that we should think i.t over —our own democratic constitutions and out free economics, 'are. not misused in such a Avay whidli Avould soften and weaken us. "The best answer to communism is a living and bold democracyeconomic, co-operative and political. We must persist in all Ave do —to fulfil our duties to> live the ideas we profess. Only then those ideals will be unconquerable. "There is. no need to be afraid of Russia. But it is imperative to learn to Avorlc Avith her against. Hitler, our common enemy. We must learn to work with her in the postwar because Russia is a dynamic country, a society brimming AA'ith life, a people with whom the future world must count."