"Let Us Be One People"

Chronicle (Levin), 10 August 1948, Page 5

"Let Us Be One People"

Received Monday, 7 p.m. LONDON, August 9. "Let us be one people," declared tio. Australian Federal Opposition leader, Mr. R. G. Menzies, 'in an appeal ove the B.B.C. for closest internal coopera tio n between the nations of the BritiM Oo nmonwealth and Empire. Mr. Menzies, xvho is on a visit to England said the peace of Europe concemei Australia most desperately, but it wr> not to be s'eeured " by allowiug tli voice of Britain iu all these present negotiations, to be the voice of tlios. islands only." Mr. ifenzies continued: "It isn't u" lienltliy lliing for Europe to pej'mit the peuce settlemeni to become a single confiict between tht iet and the* Unitw. Etates with British infiuence relativel; a minov thing, but if Britain is to spea-t with the voice of power, she must, b evory process of preconsultation witi. the British Dominions, be put in a position to speak as oue oi her sister nations of the Conimonwealt.h aud Empire." Mr. Menzies referred to the ."quee* anxiety" which liad grown up in recem vears to avoid anv -suggestion of au "Empire bloc" lest Commonwealtr countries be accused of " ganging up or of imperialism. " JMr. JMenziu.. asked, were we to give up the course.-. and assoeiatious and the superl) faniili iiistinct which seemed vital to ou.1 progress and the developnient of our eommon assets, because some propa gaiulist said : ' ' Ytili ! Imperialism ! ' ' Mr. Menzies said the strengthening o British ties and a rapid developnient or Empire r.esources by the closest interna Empire cooperation, should come iir-.i in our thinkiug, planning and act-ion ; lt is as an Empire group that we aequire our greatest iim.iediate valiie t( the world," he said. . Mi. Menzies said there would Ix • real international law or security sovereignties of nations were abated . f'iivour of a world soverelgnty. Ge. ta.r. iv this ideal was many years awa) bn the British people could take a stc,in the right direction and could set . great example, not by fostering curren illusions of iudepende,nt sovereigntie an.d. nuiltiple. foreign policies but "by concentrating upon the reintegration d. our various nations so as to produe. a conimon development and eommon aims."