PACIFIC DEFENCE PACTS

Chronicle (Levin), 16 April 1949, Page 5

PACIFIC DEFENCE PACTS

" (N.Z.P.A.

— Reutei

Must Take Aetion Before It Is Too Late

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Received Friday }: 8.50 p.m. LONDON, April 15. Writing in the Daily Telegraph Brigadier Fitzroy McLean,, M.P., says that the first move to eheck Russian expansion in the East must be a counterpart to the Atlantic Pact in the sliape of a PacifLc Pact backea by Australia and New Zealand as well as by Great Bri tain. and the United States and extending to China and Southeast Asia. An--other pact would also be necessary toi the defence of India and the countries of the Middle- East including Iraq Persia and Af^hanistan. Brigadier McLean ufges the demoeracies to take the initiative and confront the Eussians with a strong system of defensive allianees before it is too iate. He argues that sueh action on the pari of the demoeracies, if taken firmly and in unison, would br mucli more likely to prevent a war than to precipitate it. 1 ' ' The essentially eautious and reai istic character of Soviet policy and otalin 's known reiuctance to. take unlecessary rislcs make war high'ly improbable, " t,ays Brigadier McLean • ' When at last eonfronted with a reaf ■capitalist encirclement ' his 1'ogicai : ourse would be to exehange his present forward policy for a more circumspect .ine of conduct cQmparabie with that he i'ollowed before the war. The dangei des in encouiaging the Kremiin to be Lieve by our snpine attitude that then is 110 limit to our patienee. '