The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated, the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1929. OUTLAWING WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 October 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated, the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1929. OUTLAWING WAR.

The paKtlculai*' motive of Mr '-Ramsay MacDonald’s mission to America is to outlaw war. He is bound to meet with •- a great measure of success. The great ' reception lie is' receiving indicates the popularity of the mission, it is of ! course not surprising to find the United States in accord with ideals of Great ■ -Britain', oh the-major point, but there will be differences about the details. The difficulties 'should not he insuperable,- and in aiiy case 'if there is not complete agreement there are going to be great strides towards more permanent peace. “ r Jhe great task is to eliminate war, not only- from language, but from thought and action as well,” said Mr Ramsay MacDonald, in an interview reported in the Saturday Evening 'Post. “A start has been made. The world is beginning to think in terms of permanent peace and not in terms of the next war. Disarmament, as I have frequently pointed out, can only spring from the impulse of public -opinion, and this opinion is now shaping.” Mr MacDonald expounded his conception of an effective disarmament treaty as imposing limits on all armed forces, all weapons and munitions of war, and including provisions for international supervision of theenforrement of all these limitations and prohibitions by a League of Nations or by a wider organisation embracing also the nations not affiliated to the League, as well as national and international supervision of the manufacture, trade and transport of war material. “Tt ’is not enough to say peace. It is not enough to outlaw war,’’ Mr MacDonald added. ‘‘Unless nations make an arrangement bv which national disagreements can lie settled, they could outlaw until doomsday. There would still he war when everything else failed them to settle problems. The fundamental mistake has boon that every negotiation that has taken place since 1924 up to this year has been a negotiation between nations each of which assumed that Avar Avas going to break out and not 1 one of which was going to give any-

tiling away that weakened its position in the event of war. There was a reduction proposed in military machinery, hut no change was proposed in military policy.” It is clear from this that Mr MacDonald has his ideas perfectly set as to tlie present woriu situation, and what it means unless the right machinery is not forged. Mr MacDonald is bringing the subject forward in such a way as t-o impress attention, and Ins pleading is sure to carry a great deal of conviction. The negotiations with tiie United States, are, however, but the first step. The great t owers outside the inner circle composed by Britain and America, have still to be drawn within the fold when an ageement is reached, probably in the near future. That is evident almost 1 voin day to to day. Despite all the sacrifice Britain made to help France, lor install.e ,the French people have not regarded Britain with tiie trust that might he expected. Any leaning Britain was disposed to show to Germany after tlie war, was interpreted always as hostility towards France. It was a most peculiar position. Even now there is a strong public opinion in r ranee that tne overtures between Britain and America are with the object of achieving world, power, and controlling the destinies by strength of military and naval forces. This attitude is preposterous, but the view prevails and has to be taken into account in the present issue. Credit Is not given Britain for good faith in the matter any more than to the United States, yet the two countries have surely made great sa-rifices to help France, and are prepared to make more to assist the country. The British Prime Minister and tiie President of the United States have therefore to make themselves very plain to the whole world to be fully understood. The earnestness and directions of speech of both leaders of the two great nations should accomplish a great deal when the time, comes to expound the principles of the agreement they have reached. Everything points to the countries marching in unison, and if the agreement reaches a compact of that nature, there seems little doubt but that the Parliaments of the two peoples w 11 ratify the understanding. The prospects for a definite agreement to end war were never brighter. On the face of it, and looking to the enthusiasm of those directing the affairs at this juncture, the outlook is most gratifying,, and the upshot should be a new order of events out of 'which will qrise the desire for the complete emancipation of the world from another great or even serious war development.