Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1939. WAR AND PEACE AIMS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 November 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1939. WAR AND PEACE AIMS.

TN declining to negotiate with the Nazi dietalorsliip on its own terms and in affirming that the re-establishment, ol peace must imply removal of the fact and threat ol aggression from Europe, the British Government is taking a stand ev identlj well justified and one in which it- is hacked by public, opinion throughout the Empire. Good reasons appear also lor lie refusal of the British Government to elaborate in specific detai its broad statement of the conditions on which the Allies will make peace with Germany. It is for the German people, i they will, to set up a government with which the Allies would be prepared to conclude peace. Without detriment, however, to the uncompromising stand jnstlv taken bv the Allies against the present German Government and the' methods to which it is committed, d. is being urged with considerable force that there is need ol aiau\ ami open approach to the larger question of the conditions in which future peace is to be organised and saleguardei . . 1 is now widely acknowledged that the peace, treaties ol L . contained the seeds of future wars, not only in their ineliect i ve attempt to segregate and immobilise Germany, but in main other details. For example, it has been said with point and truth that the former Dual Monarchy—the "ramshackle empire,” as Mr Lloyd George called it—may. have been a political monstrosity, with its many nationalities, languages and even races under one flag, but that it was also an economic masterpiece. Of a decadent and oppressive despotism m itself, there is nothing to he said in praise, but the loss of the .coherent economic organisation and balance that existed within the boundaries of the Dual Monarchy have been and are being lelt severely by many millions of people in Europe. Any really hopeful attempt to make future peace secure in and beyond Europe, must look not only to international cooperation in safeguarding and upholding peace, but. must lake account of the economic relationships which have an allimportant bearing on welfare, security and stability. As far as it goes, nothing could be clearer tlufn the declaration of the Allies that no peace is possible with a regime headed by Hiller, and that Britain and France are pursuing the war with no predatory aims. This being understood, however, the question, of laying foundations on which fid tire peace is to be creeled remains largely untoiiehed. In Britain ami elsewhere it is being asked more and more insistently how we are to bring back to the world, in the words of one commentator “the opportunity of organised security which was missed m 1019 and the years that followed.” Much has been heard about: the “failure 01. the League, but the actual failure evidently was that of nations, great ami small, to make the vastly belter use that easily might have been made of the organisation ami machinery of the League. Unless a purposeful, const ri.ielive and united effort is made al. the end of the present war io redeem that failure, vvln.il hope ean there be for the fill lire? In opening the League of Nations Pavilion at the New York World's Fair, the Secretary-General of the League. Al. -lilies A venol, said :— It is perhaps a bold thing; in this period of chaos and anguish through which the world is passing ... to set up here a monument to the League of Nations. Yet it is not a rash thing to do. I ask the American people to look upon it as evidence, not merely of confidence, but of faith in peaceful collaboration among the nations. Without such collaboration, civilisation cannot, go on; and. that being so. let us not permit the League to perish, even though it stand amid ruin. The graver the world situation, the greater the need for it. It. will lie upheld by our faith and our wort:. Even those who hold I hat the League as it stands has been hopelessly weakened and. discredited will be lull'd put Io it Io challenge Al. Avenol’s contention that withold peaceful collaboration among the nations, civilisation ean.nol go on. Fairly regarded, the so-called, failure of the League, which is nothing else than the refusal of the nations thus far to col la bora I e lor their 1-0111111011 good, sets final emphasis on the fact that international collaboration based on justice must be achieved il Europe and the world are io know peace in years to come. Accepting the view that the Allies arc not bound to elaborate the terms on which they will make peace with Germany il is still possible to hold that they miglil very wisely give a lead in a new effort to build up an il if erna I iona I organisation to saf-eguard peace when it has been made. Since no other method ol safeguarding- peace is conceivable, il would appear to be thoroughly in keeping with the aims of Hie Allies that they should dec I a re their del erm i mil ion 1 o seek I lie broadest international eo-operation——including that ol a Germany prepared io abide by its undertaking's-- in either rehabilifat ing ami streng'l heiiing the League of Nations or setting up an nite tn a Live orgy this nt iou.