DEMOCRACY’S FOE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19987, 12 July 1939, Page 4

DEMOCRACY’S FOE

REFERENCES TO RUSSIA ARCHBISHOP'S VIEWS ITALY FRIENDLY TO U.K. “Europe is very unsettled and some people think there will be war. I am ■more optimistic. I do not think .here will be war for a while,” declared Archbishop O’Shea, Archbishop of Wellington, and Metropolitan of New Zealand, in an address to the Wellington branch of the League of Nations Union.

One reason for this optimism, he said, was that the time was too soon after the last war; too many people had sad memories of it. Another reason why he thought there would not be war was that there was going to be a very large exhibition in Romein 1942, and perhaps the very fact that that was going to be held would restrain tiio authorities. The Soviet’s Aim Archbishop O’Shea said he had heard a lot of talk in England about an alliance between Russia, France and England, but there was .tremendous opposition to it. He was afraid the powers in England and France were -rather panicky, fearing perhaps an alliance between Herr Hitler

and M. Stalin, and wanting to keep Russia neutral. 'Russia had not a good name. There was no doubt she was the -arch foe of civilisation and democracy, and she had- not changed from the time of -the Tsars. She had done a tremendous amount of harm in Europe and France, and her aim was world 1 revolution. Many prominent people thought she would like to get Europe into a war which would ad in revolution, and give her her chance.

Poland was one of the most powerful countries. She had as many people as France and had been preparing for many years since she had been united and given her liberty. The Poles had a magnificent army. They were magnificent soldiers, having twice saved Europe from barbarians.

The Archbishop said he thought the Italians would like to make friends with Great Britain. As a result of misunderstandings and through the Left Wing in England, there had been a vendetta against Italy. Italy was the source of England’s civilisation, and Italians would much rather be with England than against England. Money Power "There is an uneasy feeling in Europe and America about money power,” the speaker said. He had been told by a very distinguished statesman that there was worry about it. It could cause wars. Both in England and America there was a fear that it would lead to dictatorship. They were afraid the people would get disgusted, at the unequal distribution of wealth. It was dictatorship caused toy money power that caused the ruin of democracy in ancient Rome, although that was not explained in orthodox histories. There one was told Julius Caesar was assassinated because he destroyed liberty, but it was done by the bankers

Brutus was a banker, said .the speaker. There were people in the United States of America who thought Mr. Roosevelt would become a, dictator before long, and they pointed to the great number of unemployed in die country. It was because so many people were down and out that dictatorship came to Germany and Italy. Unfortunately, France was unsympathetic to Germany at that time, refusing help to stave it off.

The Archbishop concluded by saying that arms were not the only way to bring about peace; the nations must confer. His interest in the League of Nations Union was not one jot abated, and he hoped the principles of the League would triumph.