BUSY TIME.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 243, 14 October 1929, Page 7

BUSY TIME.

I NEW YORK ACTIVITIES. ! Mac Donald Speaks His Mind To People Of U.S. WORK IN CAUSE OF PEACE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, October l- n >- Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald had a day crowded with engagements on Saturday. In the morning' he received a deputation representing American Jewry on whose behalf Dr. Felix Warburg handed him a memorandum stating that their implicit trust and confidence in the British Mandatory Government of Palestine had induced American Jews to enlist the co-opcia-tion of groups not heretofore interested in the affairs of Palestine. Many new enterprises were being prepared for Palestine by the Jews of America. The memorandum expressed full confidence in the Commission of Inquiry which is inquiring into the recent disorders in Palestine. Mr. Mac Donald, in reply, described the steps taken by the British Mandatory Government to restore order in Palestine, and said that the Commission of Inquiry would be thoroughly impartial. lie praised the extraordinary devotion with which the Jews of the world, and particularly of America, had pursued their work in the building up of Palestine. English-Speaking Union. The British Prime Minister was then the guest of honour at a gathering arranged jointly by the St. Andrew's, St. George's and St. David's societies and the English-Speaking Union of the' United States. Covers were laid for no less than 5000 persons. Sir Esme Howard, British Ambassador to the United States, came specially from Washington to be present. Mr. Mac Donald, injiis speech, paid a tribute to Sir Esme" Howard, who, he said, had thrown down the barriers which had been erected against good understanding between the two nations. After other public engagements during the afternoon Mr. Mac Donald was the guest of the evening at a dinner given by the Council of Foreign Relations. On this occasion he addressed in effect the people of the United States. His speech was broadcasted by 70 stations throughout America. The veteran American statesman, Mr. Elihu Root, presided. Telling the World. Mr. Mac Donald said that he wanted the world to know that during the entire course of the conversations between President Hoover and himself there had never been any idea of an exclusive understanding between Britain and the United States. Nothing had been discussed which the two Governments would not be happy to see discussed. on the same basis with all the Powers of the world. The following? are passages from the speech made by Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald at the banquet given by the Council of Foreign Relations in New York. Referring to the suspicions regarding his conversations with President Hoover, the British Prime Minister said:— "These suspicions arise because the people who entertain them have no conception of the new spirit that is making up its mind to govern and dominate the world. Thus the spirit of open diplomacy is the spirit of men coming together, not for the purpose of dividing the world into alliances and groups, but for the purpose, by their own agreement, of helping the world to come to a general agreement that will be universal and not meticulous."

Speaking of moral disarmament between the United States and Great Britain, proclaimed in a statement issued by himself and President Hoover, Mr. Mac Donald asked could that doctrine and determination be applied?

He proceeded: "The mind is furnished always with old furniture that it is difficult to turn out. You have the assumption and the fear that you have inherited. For instance, in our case, our Navy is the very life of our nation. We have a romance surrounding it. We are a people of the sen. We are a small island. Europe is at our doors. For good or for ill the lines of our Empire have been thrown all over the face of the earth. We have to import our food. A month's blockade, effectively carried out, would starve us all. In event of any conflict Britain's Navy is Britain itself. The sea is our security and our safety. Britain and the Navy. "I hope your imagination will enable you to see.the affection and real understandable human affection that is gathered around our ships and how hard it is to get the British people to feel security if their naval arm is limited in any way whatever. I put that in front of you, not as a final word but as a plea for understanding, patience and good will. Air. JMaeDonald spent a quiet weekend in New York after the strenuous time he has had. He and his party leave for Canada to-morrow morning.