DEFINING PEACE AIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1941, Page 8

DEFINING PEACE AIMS

MUCH CAREFUL THINKING NEEDED. “When yon have tried to write down peace aims as I have tried to do, yon find that yon have to think a good deal.” said Mr C. R. Attlee, the Lord Frivy’Seal. and British Labour leader, in a recent statement. “I do not think it is a thing that can be done in a moment. Remember, too. that it is one thing- lor private individuals to do so and another thing for a Government. A Government cannot be producing peace aims every fortnight or so. When you make a statement of peace aims it is on record, and. therefore, it requires great consideration. I entirely agree that a knowledge of the cause for which we are fighting is a vital weapon in this war. but that is not quite the same thing as a detailed picture of a post-war world. It is comparatively easy to lay down your peace aims in almost a sentence. Then you come to an intermediate stage when perhaps you can put down general principles. If you stop there, the complaint will be that you are very vague. If you go beyond that, you will find you are getting into details which you cannot have at this time, because you are trying to jug your hare before you have caught it. The Government have stated that there will be a declaration at the right time. I think that the people who are taking the responsibility have to judge when the time is opportune.’’