Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1938. WAR FEARS IN EUROPE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1938, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1938. WAR FEARS IN EUROPE.

JN the extent, at least, to which they embody a demand for a straightforward and unequivocal lead by the British Government in face of the manifestly critical conditions now developing in Europe, some observations by the London “News Chronicle,” reported in a. cablegram, are likely to be approved and supported by many thinking people. Saying that it has been the policy of Downing Street for weeks “to fob us off with unsupported reassurances regarding the European situation,” the London newspaper adds:— It is known that high-placed and well-informed opinion takes a very different view. The public does not know the truth and is not being allowed to know. It is plainly untrue that there is no cause for anxiety... Whitehall and Downing Street must know more than they have said.... It is better to face facts, even if they are gloomy, than to find . ourselves, without warning, plunged into another August, 1914. If war is near, the common people have a right to be told. A firm statement by the Prime Minister on the Government’s views concerning the crisis and its attitude in an emergency would have a steadying effect at home and in Europe and not least in the Fascist capitals. At the stage that has now been reached, this pronouncement is perhaps in some details more optimistic than the facts warrant. It is by no means certain, for example, that any statement now made by the British Government would have a steadying effect in the Fascist capitals. It greatly affects the position that in the totalitarian States the Press is controlled as strictly by the dictatorships as some people apparently would like to control it in New Zealand. . With “inspired”'propaganda substituted for news, there is little enough chance of either a normal development or normal expression of public opinion in the countries in which dictatorships have been Moreover, there is an organised and more or less successful extension of propaganda from Germany and Italy to a number of other European countries. ■ It is the dictators, rather than the people living under their rule, who must be impressed, if that be possible, in such a way as to dissipate the war clouds now hanging so menacingly over Europe.

With these facts and their implications in plain sight, it may still be , held' very definitely that a frank and outspoken declaration by the British Government of its “views concerning the crisis and its attitude in the event of an emergency” might serve a good purpose and could not well do any harm.’ Certainly no hopeful approach to the establishment of peace in Europe is likely to be made by obviously strained' expressions by British Ministers of confidence in countries which are methodically developing a policy of aggression. A frank and unqualified declaration of British sympathies and aims might do something to restrain aggression. If that is too much to hope for, it is so much the more necessary that the realities of the position should be faced. TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA. UNLIKE one at least of his own colleagues, who observed the other day that a new trade treaty with New Zealand was needed, the Australian Acting-Minister for Customs (Mr Perkins) sees no reason for any early revision.of the treaty. “Because of her close proximity to Australia and our large factories,” Mr Perkins is reported to have said, “New Zealand’s trade with us is bound to be lop-sided to some extent.” Much as it may appeal to patriotic Australians, who, of course, are not to be blamed on that account, the view of the position so cheerfully accepted and defended by Mr Perkins certainly is not one with which New Zealanders can afford to be content. Our trade, with Australia is not merely “lop-sided to some extent.” It is outrageously lop-sided. For years past, Australia has been selling, to this country (taking account only of goods of Australian origin) from twice to two and a half times as much as she has bought in return. Although it is not very long since the trade treaty was revised, the unreasonable disparity that marks our dealings with Australia if anything is being accentuated. In the latest period for which figures are available —the six months ended in June last, exports of New Zealand produce to Australia were valued at £1,218,347 and our imports of Australian goods and produce were valued at £3,508,505. Considering, amongst others, such factors as the wide distribution of not inconsiderable parts of the Australian population over a continental area, and this country’s greatly superior hydro-electric resources, the existing state of affairs evidently is not one that need or ought to be allowed to continue. The remedy must be sought, however, rather in a methodical development of New Zealand industries, guided in part by Australian experience, than by engaging in petty disputes about potatoes and oranges.