NO MORE WAR!

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19157, 14 November 1927, Page 9

NO MORE WAR!

NEW BRITISH DETERMINATION. FEELING SPREADS OVER COUNTRY.

(bt cable—press association—coftrioht.) (AUSTRALIA* AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received November 13th, 5.5. p.m.) LONDON, November 12. There must be no more war! "With surprising swiftness this determination lias spread all over Britain on the occasion of the ninth anniversary ot the Armistice.

New unexpected support tor disarmament is forthcoming n'° m practically the entire Press. A dangerous drift into war talk had been most apparent. Even last week people spoke almost glibly of the next war. Great journalists and statesmen were found dangerously discussing its form and type. Responsible journals published elaborate details. Dean Inge wrote informatively and ruthlessly ot the terrors of the next war, accepting it as an inevitable fact rather than condemning war talk, which is most likely to lead to war. To-day, with the memory of 1,000,000 dead and the stark recollection of workless and homeless heroes' wives and dependents comes an almost incredible clamour for peace and disarmament excelling anything since the war time.

First came a scathing and authoritative denunciation from such a great soldier as Sir William Robertson, who, when on the eve of a 50 years' military career, denounced war in such terms scarcely ever heard from the lips of a great soldier. He described it as ghastly and useless destruction. A great thinker such as Mr H. G. Wells penned a remarkable letter to the Liberal candidate for the South End by-election, declaring that the Baldwin Government was heading straight for war, and adding that though he was himself a Labourite, he would vote for the Liberals in order to make a straight-out contest and give a Liberal victory. Be stated that it is the business of every man to end immediately the dangerous drift toward armament and aggression. Sir John Simon made a startling denunciation of Britain's trend towards another war in an Armistice Day speech to-night. He declared that though we condemned as an unspeakable barbarity the bombing of towns 12 years ago, we were to-day deliberately preparing and practising to do the same thing. Our own War Office was storing up mustard! gas. Were we also sure that we were not contemplating infamously submarining merchantmen, which wo so vigorously condemned so recently? AVar must end. Vague aspirations towards peace are useless. A new generation is growing up with the view that war is inevitable.

Viscount Grey, in an comment on Anglo-American naval rivalry, said the longer the idea of parity between the British and American fleets continues, the more difficult the situation will grow. It will result in two nations building against on© another, even if they are not doing so now. Viscount Grey added that it is extraordinary to recall that when we framed our naval programmes before the war no account was taken of tlft United States Navy. What reason has arisen since the War to make us regard war against the United States as a contingency. Miss. Ellen Wilkinson, M.P., declared that people were filled with horror that such an enormous sum as £115,000,000 was spent annually on Britain's war services, while the whole of Europe was spending £500,000,000 a year preparing for the next war.

The Right Hon. J. H. Thomas, speaking at Derby, said that no one in politics, and no statesman was happy about the situation.. There were 10,000,000 more armed men today than in 1914. Worse still, warlike spirit was abroad. A vigorous cemand for the nation to drop war talk is found in the editorials of all the newspapers. AMERICAN PLAN.

(AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received November 13th, 5.5 p.m.)

NEW YORK, November 12.

Mr Newton D. Baker, ex-Secretary for War, addressing the annual conference of World Alliance and International Friendship, sitting at St. Louis, proposed a plan for the United States to ostracise all nations engaged in war by a proclamation from the President and the National Senate that the United States would not insist on neutral trade rights with any nation held by the League to be the aggressor in a war. He also proposed a resumption of negotiations to bring the United States into the World Court, also treaties with other nations stipulating reciprocal piedgen not to make war. The conference recommended the encouragement of a national unity in China, and opposed the discriminatory immigration restrictions of the United States.

RUSSIA'S PROPOSAL. (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received November 13th, 5.5 p.m.) MOSCOW, November 12. M. Rykoff, in a speech, said that Russia at the forthcoming Disarmament Conference would propose a consistent policy of disarmament in all countries, even to the extent of complete disarmament, provided this was put under the control of the great toiling masses-

Resolutions against the practice of war and preparation for war were carried at a meeting held in Victoria square vesterday afternoon, when an appeal was made for the brotherhood ot man to prevent human sacrifice. The speakers were: Messrs W. T. G. Airey (League of Nations Union), P. Thorne (Religious Society of Friends), G. H. Thomson (L.R.C.), N. M. Bell (National Peace Council), and \V. McGlinchy (Social Propaganda and Discussion Group). Mr C. R. N. Mackie presided.