ROWS FOREGATHER

Evening Star, Issue 22455, 28 September 1936, Page 13

ROWS FOREGATHER

WORLD AFFAIRS REVIEWED PREJUDICES AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS Rotarians from all parts of the South Island, including Invercargill, Gore, Dunedin, Timaru, and Christchurch, attended a conference at Cam am on Saturday night, when an interesting review of world affairs was given by Mr W. Downie Stewart (Dunedin). Governor W. Thomas, of Timaru, elucidated on America’s attitude towards international affairs. Rotarian F. Milner presided and introduced Mr Stewart and Governor VV. Thomas (Timaru), governor of the Now Zealand Rotary District. “ The regret often expressed that New Zealand is so far away from Britain’s markets, arts, and culture, has its compensation, as New Zealand is also so. far away from the strife of Europe, where there is fear of sudden attack among the nations,” said Mr Stewart, in his introductory remarks on the present international situation. There were conflicting reports of war and peace, he said, and the American Secretary of State had stated that the fabric between peace and war was being warn very thin. He dealt with the claims of Italy, Germany, and Japan for the right of expansion, and with the lack of war material, especially in Italy and Japan. “ Some persons in high authority seem to think that colonies will solve the problem, hut it is doubtful if colonies will solve the difficuties of these nations,” said Mr Stewart. Germany’s case was very difficult to analyse. Germany realised that war would play into the hands of her arch-enemies, the Communists. Britain, America, France, and Russia had ample possessions, and it was sometimes suggested that the road to peace ivas in the granting of colonies to the other nations, but if Italy conquered Abyssinia and put in settlers at the fastest v rate possible for 10 years it would not absorb the nation’s normal surplus of two months. The reasons given for the need of colonies were prestige, emigration, and raw materials. LEAGUE OF NATIONS. Expressing the belief that the progress towards peace was becoming greater because of the development of a peace complex in the people, but that it was a process of evolution, Mr Stewart stated that if they could realise that a preponderance of power through the collective system would be a guarantee of peace, all would be well, but in the meantime they had to follow the middle course until the evolutionary process was completed. Referring to the League of Nations, the speaker thought, the nations under the League Covenant should have some limitation to their obligations, and instead of it being world wide, it should bo confined to certain areas. Britain had vital interests in Palestine, Persia, and Egypt, and it w r as impossible for Britain to practice isolation in connection with European affairs. America had held back from European affairs, hut their interests lay in the P.acific and the Far East. He considered the collective system, for the moment at least, was the only guarantee for peace. The peace complex would eventually prevail. ATTITUDE TOWARDS AMERICA. “ Generally, our impressions of the American people are all wrong, and certain prejudices held against them are due entirely to misunderstandings, which should be removed,” remarked Governor Thomas, in the course of a particularly interesting and enlightening address regarding America’s attitude towards international affairs. He urged Rotarians to do their part in removing such misunderstandings. A solution to world problems lay in unity between the British Empire and America. The Americans, admiring colonials as they did. gave more weight to the opinion of colonials. The attitude of America towards international affairs had changed considerably in the last 10 years. They had great admiration for tho British people, and King Edward was to-day the most popular man in America. That fact was very evident, particularly to colonials visiting the United States, where admiration for our King was expressed on all sides. The evening was made all the more enjoyable with musical items by Rotarian Walmsley (Dunedin) and his party.