BRITAIN’S WAR AIMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20088, 7 November 1939, Page 7

BRITAIN’S WAR AIMS

ELABORATION REFUSED

NAZI CHARGES ANSWERED PEACE WITH FREEDOM (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 2.20 -p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 5. In Parliament, the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, and the Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, have declined to undertake a closer definition of Britain’s “war aims” than are already available in their own speeches and statements, and have urged there were objections to an attempt to state the British aims in detail at present while there is great uncertainty as to the length of the war and the conditions in Europe afterwards.

In view, however, of the renewal of the Nazi insinuations that one British war aim is the partition of Germany, passages in Mr. Chamberlain’s speech on October 12 are recalled. He “It is no part of our policy to exclude from a rightful place in Europe a Germany which will live in amity and confidence with other nations; on the contrary, we believe there is no effective remedy for the world’s peace that does not take 'account of the just claims and needs of all countries. Also, we desire nothing from the German people which should offend their self respect and I am certain, that all peoples of Europe, including the people of Germany long for peacepeace which will enable them to live their lives without fear and devote their energies and gifts to the development of culture, pursuit of ideals and the improvement Of material prosperity.

Dictatorship Torture

In a speech to-day, Mr. A. Greenwood, deputy-leader of the Labour Party, said that Britain had declared war with the firm purpose of ending forever the torture of other nations by dictatorship. Although the decision involved great refusal would have meant the sacrifice of human freedom.

Wastage of life and treasure was the price which had to be paid to rid the world of the scourge of an inhuman dictatorship which was eating into the •vitals of Christian civilisation. Britain could not ignore the challenge whether freedom or brute force should prevail.

There was no doubt about the result, “but when the war is over we shall see there is freedom, not only for ourselves but for the German people and all other peoples. It shall be a peace without rancour against other peoples, and without territoiial and political ambitions—a peace worthy of the sacrifices that have been made,” added Mr. Greenwood.