A TROUBLED WORLD

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 116, 12 November 1938, Page 15

A TROUBLED WORLD

FEAR OF JAPAN

AMERICA AND THE PACIFIC

There is seldom a small attendance of members at meetings of the League of Nations Union in Wellington, and on Thursday afternoon, when an address was given by Dr. A. G. Butchers, Wellington, the Lyceum Clubrooms were,, comfortably filled. The Rev. Gordon McKenzie, president, was in the chair. Taking as his subject "Some Sidelights on International Problems," Dr. Butchers referred to his recent tour abroad and to developments in the Pacific. America's naval aim, he claimed, was a two-ocean standard so that both sides of the great continent should be protected. Her potential enemy was Japan. On his tour he realised the very great and real intensity of the States' fear of Japan, a feeling which was strong, too, in Canada, particularly in British Columbia, where the people appeared to be in really deadly fear. There was a large settlement of Japanese there—their standard of living was low, they increased rapidly. and monopolised trade, particularly in the fishing industry. Japan had scrapped the Washington Treaty, and she was, in addition, defying other pacts by building powerful battleships up to a tonnage of 45,000, eclipsing those of other " nations. Naturally Australia and New Zealand went in dread of their might. Dr. Butchers's observations on the relationship between the United States of America and the British Commonwealth were encouraging. The solid-, ity of the friendship between the nations was evidenced by the amicable agreement that had been reached over the problem of Canton Island. The island, formerly a rather "insignificant speck" in the ocean, had leapt into prominence when the Pacific air services had been established. It was most suitable as a mid-ocean landing ground. Britain and America both claimed the island simultaneously and both had sent landing parties there. Instead of acrimonious arguments which might-have ended in war, involving the peoples of both nations, an amicable agreement had been reached for the joint use of the island. THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION. Referring to the present world situation and world peace, Dr. Butchers said that instead of right being the deciding factor in international affairs, everyone was compelled to recognise that, notwithstanding the war and the Covenant which ended 'it, might was still the supreme weapon of offence and defence. It was realised that weak nations were not listened to, however just their claims were. One example after another arose to show the world how strong »ations, in pursuing what they considered to be their own rights, did not scruple to trample over the rights of weak nations either by threatening war or by actually waging brutal war against their almost defenceless populations. "Do not forget," he said, "that these strong nations had built up their armed strength because : they felt that their own grievances, j which were very real, were being ig- j nored by nations stronger than themselves, and that they could never hope or expect tq get justice through .the League of Nations, or by any other means, than by their own strength. And so they re-armed themselves with remarkable determination and rapidity and proceeded at once to take the law into their own hands, at the expense of their weaker neighbours. The rest of the world, afraid of bringing about another world war, has for a good many years suffered this state of affairs. VERSAILLES TREATY, OVERBIDDEN. ' "By this wholly bad means most of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles have now been overridden. And for a number of reasons we cannot

excuse, any nation, including our own, from a share in the responsibility for what has happened in Africa, in Europe, and in Asia. I "The result is that war is being waged, with all its horrors, in Europe and in East Asia—l say nothing of the position of affairs elsewhere. The world is engaged in a terrible armament race, spending pn the preparation of the most horrible agencies of destruction untold wealth which could be used to bring prosperity and happiness to countless millions of people, if only it could be spent on peaceful projects. Only a month or so. ago the world was within a few hours of the loosing of all these agencies and engines of death and destruction. Instead, through Mr. Neville Chamberlain's action, a four-Power conference was held and an agreement reached for the settlement of the immediate cause of trouble, namely, the desire of over three million Germans living under foreign rule to join up with the rest jof the German nation on their western j border. This, on the face of it< was a reasonable desire, and it.was agreed to. True., the agreement was reached under the threat of war. But it was, J believe, a notable thing that this change, which most people recognised to be inevitable in any case, was brought about in the end without wax-, and under an agreement reached in conference by the heads of the four great nations principally concerned. I say nothing bf the small nation which was required to. make a great sacrifice of its territory in the. interests of peace. "Notwitlis'taridiiig: Mils' conference, the threat and danger of war still overshadow international relations, and the dreadful preparations for it a'fe proceeding.apage in every country. Nations that used force as an instrument of ihtel'iiatidhal policy, arid succeed, grow stronger and bolder with each Success. Fear of what may happen has driven even the United States and the nations of the British Common wealth to speed up their armament programmes. The question has been asked: Why is the British Commonwealth re-arming? The answer surely is to preserve herself from the fate of Czechoslovakia, namely dismemberment and subordination to a foreign Power. A NEW LEAGUE. "One of the greatest Empire statesmen, General Smuts, of South Africa, who was one of the founders of the League of Nations, thought that the jjeace Of the world could only be established permanently by the acceptance by ail peoples of President Wilson's plali bf 'k League of Naiidris—perhaps not the present League, but a League of Nations in some way reformed so that it would command the confidence lof all nations and provide an acceptable judicial alternative for war as a means of- settling international disputes.

"In my view," Dr. Butchers said, "the greatest responsibility which devolves upon this League of Nations Union is the responsibility of educating the young people of this Dominion in the principles of the Covenant, and in the necessity for the maintenance of the League. It does not matter whether it is the present League or a new League, so long as it is a League established in the main on the principles of the Covenant." ■.-...

A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Dr. Butchers for his address.