ALLIED WAR AIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 November 1939, Page 5

ALLIED WAR AIMS

PRESENTATION IN DETAIL SUGGESTED BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER'S REPLY. QUESTION NOT FOR BRITAIN ALONE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright LONDON, November 2. Following a suggestion by Viscount Cecil, in the House of Lords, of an extended presentation of the Allied war aims, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, said he thought all recognised both the difficulty of detailing the war aims and also the broad purposes of the Allies. But he urged that the essential foundation to bear in mind when progress toward peace was found possible was confidence. The confidence which the present German Government had destroyed must be repaired. The German Government were the only people who could repair that confidence. Britain had declared that the assurance of the present German Government was not enough, and in his statement of October 12 Mr Chamberlain had suggested that if that Government was prepared to make a real effort to repair the destroyed confidence it was “for them and not for us to consider how that can be done.” It was not reasonable or possible at this stage to define in advance at what moment or in what way the British purposes could be achieved. No one could forecast the prevailing conditions existing when an attempt to make peace came. What would be the state of Europe at the end of the war depended upon the length and intensity of the struggle. Neither was the question one for Britain alone. The Governments of the Allies and the Dominions were also concerned.

The time might come when it might be possible and right to state in greater detail what would be fulfilment of the purposes for which Britain took up arms. The primary aim was to win the war by defeating those who “have by their repeated violation of European order and by threats to freedom obliged us to take up arms.” ■lnstinctively all wanted European men and women to have a chance of leading a decent and orderly life, though some of the broader purposes might be incapable of achievement at once, if the purposes was clear, and the direction right and the people were united in defence of their principles. the outcome would correspond with the convictions of those who desired to create a world order which would enlist the co-operation of all nations based on equality, self-respect, mutual co-operation and tolerance. Nothing but good. Lord Halifax said in conclusion, could come from contributions to this great problem, and every proposal ought to be considered through which the hopes and aspirations of the peoples could be brought nearer fulfilment. But there should be no departure from the task of securing conditions which as far as was humanly possible would protect the world against a repetition of tragedy.