ROOSEVELT'S APPEAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 538, 23 May 1933, Page 5

ROOSEVELT'S APPEAL

(Press Assn.-

new zealand sends reply to president's message GOVERNMENT'S APPREOIATION

-By Telegraph — Copyright) .

Wellington, Monday. The full text of President Roosevelt's message which has been received by the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, from His Majesty the King, was released to-day by the Acting-Prime Minister, together with the statement that the New Zealand Government cordially welcomes the step taken by President Roosevelt and warmly appreciates the spirit which inspired it. It is in communication with His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom as to how, in co-operation with His Majesty's other Governments, it may best assist in achieving practical results. President Roosevelt in his reference to the Disarmament Conference said it had laboured for a year and as yet had been unable to reach satisfactory conclusions. Petty obstacles must be swept away and petty aims forgotten. Selfish victory was always destined to be ultimate defeat. The furtherance of durable peace for our generation in every part of the world was the only goal worthy of our best efforts. If we were asked what were the reasons for the armaments which, in spite of the lessons and tragedies of the world war, were to-day a greater burden on the peoples of the earth than evei* before, it became clear that they were two-fold: First, the desire, disclosed or hidden, on tKe part of Governments to enlarge their territories at the expense of a sister nation. He believed only a small minority of Governments or peoples harbonred such a purpose; second, the fear of nations -that they would b.e invaded. The president then set out- his proposals for the sudcessive steps toward disairmament as previo.usly puhlished, and urged that nd .nation shouIH accept fhe resppnsihiljty for failure to achieve political and economic peace.