WAY TO PEACE BARRED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1939, Page 7

WAY TO PEACE BARRED

BY DOCTRINE OF FORCE BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER'S SPEECH. CONDITIONS OF CO OPERATION & PROGRESS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 29. No society of nations, the British Foreign Minister (Lord Halifax) declared in his speech before the Royal Institute of International Relations, could be built upon force in a world which lived in fear of violence and had to spend its substance in preparing to resist it. It was idle to cry peace where there was no peace, or pretend to reach a settlement unless it could be guaranteed by a reduction in warlike preparations and by an assured recognition of every nation’s right to the free enjoyment of its independence. “At this moment,” he said, “the doctrine of force bars the way to a settlement and fills the world with envy, hatred, malice and all uncharitableness. But, if the doctrine of force were once abandoned so that the fear of war that stalks the world was lifted, all the outstanding questions would be ■ come easier to solve. If all the efforts now devoted to the senseless multiplication of armaments with the consequent increase of distrust were applied to the common peaceful development of resources the peoples of the world would soon find an incentive to work together for the common good. Nations would then be in a position to discuss with real promise of success both political grievances and economic difficulties. whether in the international or in the colonial field.” Lord Halifax recalled the principle enunciated in Article 22 of the League Covenant; That the well-being and development of a people not yet able to stand by themselves under the strepu ■ ous conditions of the modern world are the sacred tryst of civilisation. He proceeded to sketch the application of that principle of trusteeship in the mandatory system and in the latterday administrative practice of the British colonial empire. The same principle had, in effect, been applied in a broadening of freedom in the case of India. Burma and Eire. On Eire Lord Halifax observed: For many years we tried, as the phrase went, “to hold” the land under the mis taken belief which is today invoked to justify the subjection of Czechoslovakia —that it was indispensable to our national security. Be we have now realised that our safety is not diminished but immeasurably increased by a free and friendly Ireland.

GERMAN ABUSE ALLEGATION OF BRITISH HYPOCRISY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON. June 30. The German semi -official organ, the “Deuutsche Dienst,” rejects Lord Halifax’s speech as emphatically as the recent British memorandum on the Naval Treaty. It refers to the speech as “hypocrisy, with high-sounding phrases and empty words.” Britain should cease attempting to make her policy appear peaceful in the eyes of the German people while awaiting the conclusion of the negotiations for the further encircling of Germany, it states. What. London is hastening to undertake shows all the signs of having a preventive war as its goal.

SAME OLD STORY GAYDA ACCUSES BRITAIN' & FRANCE. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) ROME,.June 30. Wi'iting in the “Giornaie d’ltalia” Signor Virgino Gayda says Lord Halifax’s speech delivered a death blow to the hopes of a peacefully negotiated solution of vital European problems. He bitterly assails British and French encirclement, “which Germany and Italy are ready to face with calm and firm resolution.” A semi-official news agency characterises the speech as “devoid of any constructive proposals whatever." LABOUR WILL FIGHT IN EVENT OF GERMAN CHALLENGE. DEPUTY-LEADER'S PLEDGE. LONDON. June 30. The deputy-leader of the Labour Party, Mr Arthur Greenwood, in a speech in London, pledged his party to fight in the event of a German challenge. He said: “British Labour is ever ready to try to understand the problems of other people, particularly the German people, but if a challenge came we would fight. There are greater things than life itself. One of them is liberty. We are prepared to fight to keep liberty alive in this country.” BROADCAST JAMMED ITALIAN VERSION OF SPEECH. ROME, June 30. Obvious attempts to jam the wireless reception of the Italian version of Lord Halifax’s speech, which was broadcast from England, were partly successful.