WAR RESPONSIBILITY

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1931, Page 2

WAR RESPONSIBILITY

RECENT Y.M.C.A. DISCUSSION. REPORT OF “SPLIT” DENIED. A cable message ifrom America announced that at the World Conference of the Y.M.C.A., held at Cleveland, last month, a split had occurred between the German and French delegates over the question of war guilt-, and, that as * result these two factions were at loggerheads. Mr iKeith Falconer, who represented New Zealand at the conference, and who returned to New Zealand this week, said in Wellington that the cablegram was misleading, The fact of the matter, he said, was that the French delegates brought up the question in order to relieve the minds of the German delegates as to the attitude of the various nations toward them. IA motion was carried by 201 votes to 2, to the effect that the delegates, having become acutely aware of the sufferings of their German brethren, while conscious of in competency to deal with any of the political implications of the question, desired in the spirit of international brotherhood -to dissociate themselves from the injustice of attributing to one nation or group of nations alone sole responsibility for the war. There were six abstentions recorded—one French delegate explaining his sympathy/ with the spirit of the declaration while abstaining because of his feeling that the word “responsibility” was not clearly defined. Dr T. Z. Koo, of China, was most helpful in reaching this action.

This declaration was followed by a unanimous affirmation that “war is an expression of the sin of men,” that international conflict should be settled by pacific means, and by a solemn pledge to work devotedly for the removal of all cause of hatred and antagonism between nations. The conference called upon the national alliances to put their full weight behind the forthcoming Disarmament Conference.