UNITY SPELLS PEACE

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1949, Page 5

UNITY SPELLS PEACE

Mr. Anthony Eden Speaks To New Zealand' WELLINGTON, Feb. 11. Th'e three great unities which would contribute to world peace, were emphasised by Mr. Anthony Eden when replying to speeches of welcome at a State luncheon to him given by the Government, at Parliament House, today. . ; The flrst, he said, was the unity of thc British Commonwealth. The second was the unity' of Western Europe and the third was unity across the Atlantie. Sueh arrangements eould not conceivablv be regarded as aggressive moves by the Western Powers or as«a menace to peace. The eonelusion on the Atlantie Paet, on the contrarv, would, in his judgment, ereate the best possible eonditions for diseusisons of peace. The achievements of New Zealand bad manv lessons for the outside world, he continued. Here there was in truth tolerance.' Here Maori and pakeha lived happily side by side. It was something of which New Zealand might well be proud. Everything pointed to the need for eloser collaboration of the nations in the modern world because scientific discovery had outpaced man Vpolitieal development and let loose forces which it was found difficult to eommand.. Further, science had sharpened reaetion to world events by wiping out the cushioning effect of distanees. Meetings of statesmen, however illustrious their positions, would of themselves not bring about anv lastin^ improvement in the state of inter national relations, said Mr. Eden. Con fidenee in the world as it was today eould not be restored by words alone. Only deeds would do that. "If we can once reach the stage where the nations are prepared to contribute by their own actions, to restore international good faith, then we mav be all surprised by the extent to which conddenee will gather momentum. A few hours of agreeable discussion and a few phrases of general agreoment. are only illusorv and will in fact do more harm than good if, after tbev are over, we find onrselves once again in a period of disputed pledges and hostile propaganda. ' ' The disappointment whieh all had felt at the comparative failnre United Nations, 'had strengthened the demand for regional arrangements' yu this demand was, iii anv event, a natural development and was, of course, speeially .provided for when the' Oharter was drawh , up at San Fraacisco.t Mr. Eden said the eoneeption r.f Western Union was not a new one. Rtil1 less had it been brought into being by events whieh had occurred since the. war. The project was informally di« cussed while the war was still in pm gress and while he was still Foreign Gecretarv. The Eastern Ali'ies k'ne-.v all about it and raised no objectioii' "On the contrarv, eomments were fav ourable which was natural enough fo" it cannot surely be said that it is righ: to have mutual treaty arrangementc between the countries o.f Eastern Europe and wrong to make similar ar rangements between the countries of Western Europe." It was his belief, Mr. Eden continued that closer relations in the political an l military sphere between thos« in Bri tain and their neighbours in Western Europe, could be of benellt to neaee.

"But there is one absolute condition for us at home. We should not be prepared at any time to make arrange ments with anv foreign eountry, how ever friendlv, whieh in any way c.nfs across the mutual interests M the British Commonwealth of Nations. For us Empire ties^must eome first.." He eould not see, said Mr. Eden, why there should be anv eonfliet of interests in that in two wars New Zealand had seen herself lovally and heroical'v engaged in a European eonfliet. If by Western Hnion, Britain eould help to create more settled eonditions on the Continent, that would be a contribution to the peace of^the world.