ON REASONING TOGETHER.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1939, Page 4

ON REASONING TOGETHER.

yyiiAT was described in a cablegram from London yesterday as “a meeting of laity of all Christian churches” passed a resolution calling on the British Government to state its peace terms, declaring that the war should be ended as speedily as was compatible with honour and urging also a statement of Britain’s contribution, after consultation with France, toward a new order ensuring international justice and security. The ultimate objectives here set forth are in themselves admirable and the recognition that a new international order is needed to ensure the maintenance of peace when it has been made is particularly to be commended. An eager desire for peace and for safeguards of peace, should not be allowed, however,*to betray any section of opinion in Britain or elsewhere into agitation that would play into the hands of those by whom peace has been destroyed and whose coni inning policy of force and fraud makes the restoration of peace impossible.

The German dictatorship is not seeking peace, but immunity in crime and an opportunity to prepare at leisure for further crimes. Any peace proposals meantime advanced by the. Allies would be regarded by the Nazis simply as so much material to be turned to account by their propaganda department. The British Government plainly is doing the right thing, in these circumstances, in declining to undertake a closer definition ol* war aims than has already been given in the speeches of its leading Ministers. In that decision, the British Government has the full support of the Labour Opposition in tin 1 House of Commons.

Great uncertainty, it is emphasised rightly, exists at present. as to the length of the war and the conditions that will rule in Europe afterwards. On the other hand, it has been made abundantly clear that there would be no dil'l'ieuhy in concluding peace with a liberated Germany, able and willing to honour its international obligations and undertakings. The Allies are pursuing no predatory aims, and Mr Chamberlain, on behalf of his Government has declared explicitly that:—

It is no part of our policy to exclude from its rightful place in Europe a Germany which will live in amity and confidence with other nations. On the contrary, we believe that there is no effective remedy for the peace of the world that does not take account of the just claims and needs of all countries.

Inevitably there is a very great difference between the peace that could be made with a liberated Germany and the settlement that, might be possible with the Nazi dictatorship if, broken and humbled in war. it were compelled to sue for terms.

It is impossible to imagine any circumstances in which it would be possible to look to men like Hitler and his colleagues for honest co-operation. 'The establishment of a liberal regime, however, would enable Germany again io play a worthy part in Europe and to co-operate in the international action and organisation on which firm and enduring peace must depend. Those who desire most ardently to see. the war ended speedily are bound to recognise the vital difference between dealing with Germany still in Nazi bondage and Germany freed from that bondage. If is entirely open Io the German people to take action that would bring peace into immediate or early prospect, but the Allies cannot take that action tor them. With the Nazis still in power, it is worse limn useless to talk, as did the meeting of laity in London, of sending a mesage to the German Christian leaders urging them to press for a conference in Germany. In existing conditions, any such conference either would be prohibited and prevented by dim Nazis or would lie engineered and controlled by them in furtherance of their conspiracy against humanity. ■