“SIGNIFICANT, IMPRESSIVE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 445, 29 August 1928, Page 9

“SIGNIFICANT, IMPRESSIVE”

CUSHENDUN ON SIGNATURE GREAT MORAL EFFECT British Official Wireless. Reed.'ll.s a.m. RUGBY, Tuesday. The newspapers devote much space to descriptions of yesterday's solemn act in Paris, when the Peace Pact was signed at the Quai d’Orsay by the plenipotentiaries of 15 countries, and in the editorials high hopes are based on the promise it offers for the future of world peace. The British representative at the ceremony, Lord Cushendun, met the Press after the signatures had been appended, and emphasised that the very signing of the pact was the most significant and impressive demonstration that had ever been made of the world’s earnest desire to maintain peace and avoid war. It was a fact that by now we ought to have reached a stage in the world’s history in which we could do without war. either as an instrument of national policy or in the settlement of disputes. The pact would suffer only if it were burdened with extravagant interpretation, and while nobody imagined that by the signing of this treaty war would be finally abolished. it should have an incontestible moral effect. ATTITUDE OF BRITAIN Referring to the attitude of Britain, which had - been somewhat wrongly represented in many quarters. Lord Cushendun said the British Government had been in favour of the pact from the very first, but it desired to be quite certain as to the exact meaning of what it was asked to sign. In this respect, it had received full satisfaction in the correspondence exchanged. Discussing the ceremony, Lord Cushendun said that the presence *of Dr. Stresemann at the Quai D’Orsay, seated next to the French Foreign Minister, and signing the pact with his former antagonists only 10 years after the greatest war i«i history, had a significance which could not be lost upon the world. It was a twofold act of courage. Not only was Dr. Stresemann actuated by the highest motives of statesmanship and political courage, but in view of the state of his health it was an act of physical courage also. AMERICAN ALOOFNESS Discussing the attitude of the United States toward the pact, Lord Cushendun declared that it was important that the people should realise that nothing Mr. Kellogg had done or -said in connection with the initiation and completion of the pact could be taken to imply any modification of the traditional American aloofness from European complications. The extent to which the United States participated in European affairs was a matter for the United States, and this was in no way modified by the provisions or circumstances of the pact. Referring to the fact that he had signed as the representative of the Emperor of India, as well as of the King of Great Britain and the Dominions and colonies that were not represented on the League of Nations, Lord Cushendun said no people stood to benefit from the pact more than the people of India, whose country in the past had so often been subjected to devastation.