NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 208, 28 May 1921, Page 12

NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

REMITS TO LABOUR CONFERENCE

REPUDIATION OF TREATY

Several remits have been drafted by the National Peace Council for consideration at the Labour Party’s Conference in July. With the object of establishing social relations on a “basis of justice, such that every individual member of the human race, irrespective of colour, creed, sex, or culture, may have a real equality of freedom to live the fullest life that is possible for each such member in human society.” the National Peace Council proposes the “repudiation of conscript and voluntary armies, with immediate disarmament by land, sea, •and air, so ending a dominant militarist influence and control over sr>n(:>i life and the political and economic systems.” The national Peace Council also suggests the “recognition of the absolute right of all peoples to economic and political selfdetermination (for Britain, to be applied to Ireland, Egypt, India, and South Africa), for the purpose of ending the exploitation of modern imperialism.” Other remits from the National Peace *Eouncil follow:—

“(1) Peace and civil government. Tho Labour Party records its entire want of confidence in the military system, and urges New Zealanders to adopt forthwith n policy of disarmament, accomiianied by an honest effort towards friendship with all nations. The party affirms that the social revolution has nothing to hope for from the adoption of militant methods (conscription, voluntary armies, news and book censorship, passports, etc.), and it definitely repudiates militarism and all its instruments.”

“(2) Secret Treaties. Complete control by each people of its relations with other peoples. All arrangrments to be published and any arrangement unpublished or not ratified by their representatives in Parliament to be declared invalid.” “(3) The Versailles Treaty. Immediate repudiation of the .Treaty of Versailles ami all other punitive ary:! restrictive treaties, arising out of the wars of 19141921. and their replacement by measures tending towards world, federation.” The following remit dealing with the League of Nationr has been drafted by the National Executive of the .Labour Party:—“That full consideration ba given by the party ta the recommendation of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand regarding tin, formation of a 1 eague of Nations, and to associate itself with the efforts of the Presbyterian Church' in pushing forward such a movement. the objects of, which will be universal disarmament.” Along with other remits is one trom tho Canterburv branch of the A.B.RJS. proposing that the labour Party should support the policy of maintaining a “White New Zealand.”