BYRNES SUPPORTS STALIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 303, 4 October 1946, Page 3

BYRNES SUPPORTS STALIN

NO DANGER OF WAR ANSWER TO UNWARRANTED CHARGES f * > s .(N.Z. Press Association-Copyright.) (Rec. 12.30 p.m.) PARIS. October 3. Mr James F. Byrnes, United States Secretary of State, in a speech to the American Club today, said he heartily agreed with Generalissimo Stalin that there was no immediate danger of war. “1 hope this statement will put an end to the unwarranted charges that any nation or group of nations was seeking to encircle the Soviet Union, or that responsible leaders of the Soviet Union so believe,” said Mr Byrnes.

He agded that he hoped the statement would also dismiss the unwarranted .charges that the United States was seeking to use possession of the atomic bomb' as a threat of force against Russia. “After every great war which is won by the combined efforts of many nations there has been conflict among the Allies in the making of peace/ It would be folly to deny the seriousness cf the conflict of viewpoints among the Allies after this war. To ignore-' this conflict or minimise its seriousness would ?iot solve differences or help peace. “On the other hand, to exaggerate the conflict and its seriousness would only make the task more difficult,” he said. He did not believe any responsible official or any Government.wanted war, but the difficulty was that nations might pursue policies or a course of action which would lead to vwar.* The nations might seek political and economic advantages which could ' pot obtain without war.

“We must decry not only war

but things which lead to war. It u is easy to get everyone to agree that war is evil, but not so easy to get agreement as to things which lead to war. > ' The greatest care must’be taken not to plant the seeds of future.war,” he went on. “We must seek to explain our actions to those who did not agree with us, Lut our defence must be .y the defence of justice and freedom, and the defence of political and economic rights not only of a few privileged men and nations but of ail men and nations.”

Mr Byrnes said that America learned from Pearl Harbour that this is one world, and that r she coi\ld not isolate herself from it. This time she is determined not to retreat into a policy of isolationism. President Truman has consistently followed policies inaugurated by President Roosevelt, and lias consistently urged the carrying out in liberated and former enemy States of Europe of the policies on which the heads/ of the Government agreed at Yalta.”

The major portion of* Mr Byrnes’s speech was devoted to the future control of Germany. He said: “The United States is firmly opposed to the struggle for control of Germany, which would again give Gei’many power to divide and conquer. We do not want to see Germany become a pawn or partner in the struggle for power between East and West. That is why the United States proposed a 40-year treaty between-the Big Four. Such a treaty would ensure that the Ruhr could - " never again become the arsenal of Germany and Europe. The people of the United States ,did. their best to stay out of the two European wars, but discovered when the European war Began that their own peace and security would inevitably be involved before the finish. ’ They concluded that if they* must help finish every European War it would be better for them to do their part' to prevent its beginning.

Guarantee Not Given Doubt regarding American policy 4wice in one generation had led other nations to miscalculate the consequences of. their action and twice, this had brought war and not peace, said. Mr Byrnes. France, three times invaded by Germany in the last 75 years, did not want. to be in any doubt r<?garding American foreign policy towards Germany;” nnn v. Mr Byrnes recalled how after the First World War, asked President Woodrow Wilson for at guaianr tee of aid if Germany again violated French frontiers. The guarantee was not forthcoming, but.this time tn American people did not propose wait until France was again invadSd ' Mr Byrnes continued: M. Bidaim, on behalf of France, and Mr Bevin, on behalf of Britain, accepted in pun ciple the American 40-year treaty. I hope very much that Russia, which s far has regarded the treaty as unacceptable, will, after further examination and study, find it possible to join us and prevent Germany again becomingl a. menace to the peace of Europe. If the Allied nations entered into the proposed treaty to keep Germany disarmed and demilitariesd for at least a generation, the people of France and Europe need not fear German effoits to rebuild their devastated country. Peaceful and democratic forces in Germany must be encouraged and given a'chance to govern themselves democratically. America did not want to see an over-centralised German Government, but Avanted a peacefu , democratic and disarmed Geimany which would respect the human rights and freedoms of all inhabitants, and would not threaten the security ot the nations. We want, such a. Germany not because we want to appease the Germans but because we believe that such a. Germany is necessary to the peace and security of France, and for the peace and- security of a free and prosperous Europe.”