DEMAND FOR UNITY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 19, 2 November 1938, Page 5

DEMAND FOR UNITY.

BRITAIN AWAITS LEWD. ACTION BY GOVERNMENT. LONDON, October 20. The cry of unity is ringing throughout Great Britain: No 'Cabinet Minister is missing an opportunity of impressing the nation with the need for unity if peace is to be preserved. Nevertheless, unless the Government acts quickly the cry seems likely to run a srious risk of losing its appeal. , > In the absence of a declaration of future foreign policy, coupled with demands for a redoubling of rearmament, the 'nation ‘ is entirely befogged as to how unity is to be employed, if it can be achieved. ! .... .....

' The nation is ready to unite and to build up great defensive strength, especially after the startling revelations about the deficiencies in defence, which still leave the man in the street stunned. - . • ' i

It is on the question of foreign policy that there is likely to he grave disunity. Many people, including a large section of the Conservatives, are insisting that it is futile to ask the nation to units without giving it a lead by producing a positive and constructive foreign policy 'which the nation and the Empire can understand, and for which they would unite, knowing that the arms policy would, if necessary, back up the foreign policy. This view is strikingly illustrated in a “Daily Telegraph” editorial which says: ‘ ‘The unity of the nation must he reckoned as an effect rather than a preliminary condition for a sound policy. It is not for the Government to wait for it, ,bu± to create it. We must set—rurtrivith our eyes on the future. We shall make little value of it if we abstain from doing the things that need to be done under a_ploak of words about national unitv.

“Such unity,' to be of! any worth, must bo attained by action, not by inertia. In adopting this ooufhsel the Prime Minister- will • find liis hands strengthened fav>beyond the limitations of party loyalty.” 7;