BRITAIN ALONE CAN KEEP WORLD PEACE

Chronicle (Levin), 12 July 1947, Page 5

BRITAIN ALONE CAN KEEP WORLD PEACE

Eeeeived Friday, 9.50' p.m. I.ONDOX, July 11". The opinion that the, British Oommoll'wealth alone cau provide an alternati've to the opposing ideologies of Eussia and the United States an'd" so preserve

the threatened peace of the world wa's expressed by Lord Altrineham, addresding the Overseas Empire Correspondents' Association when the association entertained a number of members of the House of Lords. "For myself I am unalter*b\y opposed to a poliee state and all it represents, " said Lord Altrineham, "but although we have so mucl in eoimnion with the United States I don't think the Americans realise where their present policy is taking them. If it is pursued I am sure there is a very grave danger of a third world war — a war wMeh would leave Europe in ruins and thfow maukind baclt into the primitive conditions from which it emerged hundreds .of years ago, " The uou-diserimination clause in the American ioan agreement, said Lord Altrineham, pl'aeed Britain in an intolerable position, for it meant that she could not obtain the help she needed either from Europe or other countries of the Commonwealth. The difference between the present American policy and that of Britain duriiig the nineteenth eentury was that today the United States wanted multilaferal world trade but insisted upon being paid for it iu dollars whereas Britain as the first great free trade nation also wanted multi-lateral trade but was prepared to aecept payment for it in ' g'oOds. This American policy was reduciug the Whole. world outside the Eussiau bloc to a- eohdition of economic depeudenee upon the United States and that was an extremely dangerous situation indeed'. Sooncr or later i'f this process proceeded th6 two bloes must clash. Britain alone Could give a lead towards a solutiop be'Cause .with the. Cqmmqn-, Wealth slie provided the only practical alternative. fi? he British" Commonwealth was in fact a working and suecessful prototype of an association of free and independent but coopdrating nations which was the basis of tlie' chartCr of Uno. If Britain defendcd the independence of this association she took a line which was ncither adherence to Eussia nor de petidence upon the United States but which would provide a rallying point for all those who wanted to preserve their olvn way of life and at the same time cooperate with their neighbours in trade. The Commonwealth Governments were at present in a strongOr position to express this point of view than the United Kingdom. He lioped they would realise their responsibillty and act to avert the danger wrhieh threatened the world.