AVERTING CATASTROPHE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1938, Page 10

AVERTING CATASTROPHE

SIR PHILIP GIBB’S DICTUM It is monstrously absurd to believe that we can convert dictatorial governments to the pure gospel of democratic liberalism by threatening to bombard their cities, oi’ to invade their territories —even if we had the armies to do so, writes Sir Philip Gibbs in his new book, “Across the Frontiers.” We cannot induce the National Socialists of Germany to love the Jews by a naval demonstration in the North Sea. We cannot insist that they should re-establish their Parliments and their trade unions and their free Press by any combination of armed democracies. That point of view which seems to be the attitude of militant democrats is grotesque in its vision of realities. There is surely another and better way of upholding democratic ideals and being true to our liberal faith, that is by a policy of appeasement, by the remedy of injustice wherever possible, by a generous spirit in all international relations, and by a refusal to advance along the road to war under the delusion !hat we are defending liberty, or upholdings the ideals of peace,