PACT WITH RUSSIA

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 161, 22 March 1939, Page 4

PACT WITH RUSSIA

S HELPLESS 1 PEACE IN THE PACIFIC “JAPAN WOULD NOT DARE"’ ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB “Do. not forget that Germany, Italy and Japan are .‘partners in the anti-cominteiin pact, and that they work in harmony. Germany lias just made fresh moves in Central Eairop4Italy' will soon attempt something more in the Mediterranean area, and as soon as the situation appears lav durable, Japan will make a move in .her turn. In the face of that threat, Australia and New . Zealand aremelp-: less, unless ..they .at once open up communications with the United States, Ru.ssia, and other nations interested in the Pacific, for mutual* protection.' Russian planes could be launched, ffojn a point only 000 miles from Tokio.' Japan would* not dare to. fight, for Tojdo could be blown on . the face: of the earth !”

This statement, made by Air. T. C. AToGrillick in an address to Gisborne Rotarian at the - weekly luncheon gathering on Monday,..summarised his views upon the essential future do-

velopment of events in. He dteclared that it, was Australia and New Zealand to.dep-Avd* upon Britain, or upon their own resources, jljpr protection against the Fascist Statesi 'Britain would have her liands full in Europe, and could' send no aid y-jyhile if the Dominions increased sixfold their present expenditure upon defence, they still could not hope to face an enemy such as Japan. ■■ v X “Misleading the public” “Those- who go- about .suggesting that these Dominions, must increase their for defence are only misleading the public,” Mr. McGillick declared.

The speaker, whot visited Russia, last year as one of an Australian ddega.tion of," four, and is a prominent trades* union representative in the Commonwealth, threw much of the blame for the present involved international situation upon the shoulders of the Prime Minister Britain, Mr. 'Neville Chamberlain.

*He stated that had Mr. Chamberlain and M. Daladier accepted theater of Russia to support bailee-and Britain in the: protection ofACzechoslovakia’s national integrity, there would have been no- invasion of that country by Germany. »

Doubts have been cast upon: the bona Ikies of All.' Stalin, l!ead ; .of the Russian Soviet States, but he had shown, his good faith by massing a million and a half Ru.ssian troops on. tiie borders of Poland, in readi-

jiiess to march into Czechoslovakia tand eiigagex-thty’V,. (jernians, w.liile be dilid' of- military plalies also 'ready to'-hop over into the threatened country. -ti * . < ■ ’ --sf : ' ' : • . ' ' Russian Planes in Prague. The fact that many Russian planes had been taken by the Germans on their most recent stride in their programme- of occupation of Central Europe proved that a large number of planes actually had been sent in by M. Sltalin. . ■ - ■ Mr. McGilliclc argued! that the Russian Soviet Government had come into being ,on a policy f of peace ior the war-weary nation, and when its advances) had been rejected by Britain iand France, had concluded a separate treaty of -peace with the- Cehtral Powers. -It was still dedicated to peace and- development of its own nation’s resources, but not- to peace at any price. The attitude of the Western nations, however, had! been shown when at-Jdie 1928 disarmament conference they had refused to support the Russian plan for gradual disarmament by all nations, and an international police- force. Again, when Japan marched into Mancliukue, the League of Nations failed to act in defence of'China, and, encouraged by Japan’s success, Italy h|d embarked on the rape of Abyssmia, tlie Powers then denying support toi Article l'O of the League Covehave - applied sanctions against/I/taly. ' Penalties .of ‘Non-Co-operation. Was it to..be wondered at that Germany had felt secure in planning its conquest of Central Europe? Mr. McGilliclc ashed. The Western nations had refused co-operation with Russia on all occasions, and as a result had seen Britain’s -trade communications threatened, by way of the Mediterranean, by Italy’s increased strength ; and by way of the African coast, by the submarine bases which Germany and Italy had secured as a result of their aid to the Franco forces in Spain.

Only Russia’s all-powerful • efforts could stop the march of conquest, itseemed!, and only when the Western nations,, combined ussia would Germany , have tor fear ai‘check. -A-.-.yJ.nsljeadyioi- u-hijsj£ j^i'feh,4®|issia to stop/Herr march, "'however, Britain and France hadgone behind R u ssja’ jf~ back to " Munich agreement,... wliichj 'withqiit eVon. consultation—with the Czeehoslayfik Government, h,ad given Geriipuiy the iortified areas and niuchof tfie industrial streng|Ji the Czech jmtion. Mr. Chamberlain hatr returned tp thanked ,Gpd'Tor “peace in on tm seize Czechoslovakia, and the was tjiat he presented «»>>tultiinatuin ‘•to,.. lUH«|nia,' demanding her wheat and oil, tjio later being essential to the support of his military machine. Cermany and Russia. It had been hoped in .some quarters that Herr Hitler would attack Russia, but. he would not that error, Mr. McGillick stated. He would attack -those countries -cwJHch hw-knew must depend on the help of Britain and France, cr ‘accede to his demands. The policy of Mr„ Chamberlain had brought Britain nearer to war than it had been before tlie- Mainieli pact. Because his policy had enabled the Empire’s trade routes to be threatened, and because Britain had engaged in a discussion over the division of Spain, the Dominions in the - Pacific could hope for no help from the Mother CouiiTry in the event -of the third partner to the anti-comintern pact adventuring down the Pacific. Australia and! New Zealand must- look after themselves, and the only means to safety for them was a. combination of forces with /Russia, the United States, Holland and France, these nations all having an interest in the preservation of peace in the Pacific. At the close of his address, Mr. MtGillick was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Rotarian J. Hutton, who commented that tlie expression of virile opinion was always worth •hearing, and that LI r. McGillick's view as to the results of Air,, Chamberlain’s policy were not confined to the opponents of-the Conservative Government in Britain. A Pacific League might well have an important bearing on tlie peace of the world.-•- - ' -