NO NEED TO RETREAT

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1946, Page 5

NO NEED TO RETREAT

-Press Association

Mr. Fraser Speaks Of Russia TOLERANCE IS ESSENTtAL

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Sept. 6. "Though. there may be agreement to chffer, there is no-room for democracy to retreat in front of any other conce.pt whatever," , said the Prime Minister when referring to the Soviet at today 's annnal meeting of the United Nations Association of New Zealand. It was 11011-pliissing, said Mr. [Fraser, to see a demoeratic eonntry like Australia, the democfatic principles of which had been put forward by its klinister of External Aft'airs, Dr. Evatt, at varions conferences, including that at Paris, attacked by the Soviet Union. The Soviet press was attacking- a eountry whose demovcratic principles were above suspieion. There was a ditference in o.utlook and in the view of democracy, in spite of all difficulties, it was essential to be as tolerant as possible but. without surrendering oue iota of right, to express forthriglit that which was within us, the belicf that democracy was esseii-tial to world peace, and that any form of dictatorship was opposed to world peace. "I regret," said Mr. Fraser, "anything that might eause friction with the U.S.S.R-. but while we regret it, you cannot expect the M other Country or Dominions to sink principles Avliich are fundarncntal not only to us but also to the demoeratic world. Though

there may be agreement to differ, there is no roorn for democracy to retreat in front of any other concept whatever. Many things have been common 1o many nations, from slavery downward, and they had been proud 1o got rid of them, but looking at the world as it is today, we can feel proud of being a momber of 1hat association of nations which has Great Britain as its centre." The world today, having heen heated up in thc c.auldron of war, was noAv cooling off but not regularly, not . eomplete] y and not in a uniform rnanner. The world held all thc clements today of a cauldron of molten steel being run off with minor cxplosions in the foundry. It was neeessary to achieve a clear diseernment to get a proper perspeetive beeanse serious changes were taking place so rapidly that it was difficult to get anything static even for a moment. Tt was essential to mahitahi fnith in order that the principles known to he right might triumph.