POINTS FROM LETTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 10

POINTS FROM LETTERS.

THE BETTER WAY. The Dominion council of the League of Nations Union decided, at a recent meeting, to draw the attention of your readers to the urgency of the present world situation and the general need there is for wise and careful study of the facts, and for unprejudiced consideration of present world trends. The council welcomes the increasing emphasis given' in the Press to the question of world peace, and the sympathetic manner in which many of the best writers of the Dominion are seeking to mould public opinion in the right direction. Yet the council feels it, is urgently necessary to direct attention to the steady flow of misrepresentation which by cable and article is broadcast with the definite purpose of creating the impression that our defences by air, sea. or on land are antiquated, or otherwise inadequate for the purposes of defence. These statements are frequently made by retired army or navy officials of illustrious name. Evidence is not lacking that international armament firms include in their policy the spreading of propaganda of this character with the definite intention of provoking fear and suspicion, which will return them increased orders. The present position indicates that all nations have carried through some measure of disarmament, so far as personnel and units ara concerned, but that with modern weapons their destructive capacity is greater than ever. The paramount need is for universal agreement on practicable measures of disarmament that will lessen the present widespread fear of war. The council considers that the way will be paved for better international relationships when there is a wider knowledge of the facts about armaments, a fuller recognition of the part played by ignorance and fear in tlie creating of war psychology, and a deeper conviction that neither warfare itself nor the attitude of mind that leads to it is Christian. In conclusion, the council would urge that to secure world peace is the duty of all members of the human race, that it has never been secured by fear-provoked competition in armaments, and that in the League of Nations, supported by knowledge and good will in every land, is the most reasonable method of ensuring the settlement of dispute by judicial procedure. F. H. WILKINSON, M.A., Vice-chairman, Dominion Council, League of Nations Union.