DR. FRANK CRANE’S DAILY EDITORIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 183, 24 October 1927, Page 12

DR. FRANK CRANE’S DAILY EDITORIAL

INTERNATIONAL CONFABS

(Copyright, 1927) *JMie only way to get along in an international conference between representatives of the various nations is to follow the common sense rules that govern conferences of individuals. The one thing that disturbs the prospects of arriving at any set conclusion between the various nations is the same thing that disturbs the hope of a satisfactory result between different men. If capitalists and labourers could sit down at a table and banish all hatred and suspicion of one another there would be no trouble in coming to a satisfactory conclusion. The labourer, however, thinks the capitalist too shrewd and always on the lookout to get the advantage of him; the capitalist thinks the labourer ignorant and prejudiced; this prevents them arriving at an amicable result. Yon cannot have a conference between two or more people and expect a happy conclusion unless you trust one another, unless there is mutual respect. It is a common failing of every nation to suspect other nations of being shrewder than themselves, wilier and craftier and more selfish. Each nation regards its own representatives as honest and straightforward dealers and thinks others are crooked. Many papers and many socalled patriots do their best to fan this delusion. Many of them seem to think they are patriotic when they suspect every move of the opposite nation. Trust and belief are not mere Sunday school things, but they are necessary in all our intercourse one with another. Diplomats as well as individuals must be high-minded and considerate. The question of reducing armaments is one that concerns the economic prosperity of every nation. Armed forces continue to be the chief source of expenditure all around and it is worth while to get together on the subject of mutual reduction.

It is all a matter of proportion, anyway. It is just as bad and no worse for a nation tb have 400,000 tons of ships against another nation’s 300,000 as it is to have 40 tons against the other nation’s 30 tons. It is a matter of preponderance and it is worth all the endeavour of all high-minded patriots to get together with the representatives of other nations and reduce the amount of armament. Those who have known the horrors and destruction of war must agree with this, and only those who seek to plunge their country into war in order to appeal to a false patriotism are against a reduction of armament.