PEACE AND WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1935, Page 7

PEACE AND WAR.

STUDENTS' VIEWS. I ! WILL NOT FIGHT ABROAD. i AMERICAN TEST BALLOT. Unless they change their views as they grow older, 82 per cent of American unij varsity students will refuse, in the event i of a war in which the United States' (armed forces invade another country, to j bear arms. But if the United States is l invaded S3 per cent will fight in her defence. The "Literary Digest," which has conducted "straw ballots" on many iinI portant national issues, recently sent

ballot papes to 318,414 students in 118 American universities and colleges. The papers, move than one-third of which were answered and returned, contained seven questions:—

(1) Can the United States stay out of another great'war? To this 09 per cent answered "yes" and 31 per cent "no."

(2) Will you bear arms for the United States in the invasion of another country ? To this 17.82 per cent replied "yes" and 82.18 per cent "no." (3) Will you bear arms in defence of your country if the United States is invaded? "Yes." S4 p.c; "No," 10 p.c. (4) Do you believe that a national policy of "an American navy and air force second to none" is a sound method of'insuring us against being drawn into another greater war? Only 37 per cent of the at ad en is replied "yes."

(i 5) Do you favour Government control of armaments and munitions ? Ninety-one per cent replied "yes."

(0) Do you favour universal con scription of all resources of capital am

labour in time of war? To this 82 per cent replied "yes."

(7) Should the United States join the League of Nations ? This was the question upon which there was a sharp division of opinion, 49.47 per cent of the students voting "yes" and 50.53 per cent "no."

"The League of Nations received a favourable majority in 55 colleges; an unfavourable vote in 03," says the 'Literary Digest. , In analysis of the list of those colleges which opposed entry into the League of Nations, it is fair to draw these conclusions:

"In general, those colleges which have well-established reputations for liberal educational policies are the colleges in which a majority of undergraduates voted in favour of entry into the League of Nations.

"All women's colleges voted, in favour of entry into the League. All the Catholic colleges on the list opposed entry." Canadian Sentiment Similar. The college peace poll was extended, to one university in Canada to serve as a test vote of Canadian sentiment. Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, was selected. The questions asked the Canadian students were substantially the same as those on the ballots for American colleges —altered* of course, to fit the special case. For instance, the fifth question on the Canadian ballot was phrased: "Should Canada remain in the League of Nations ?" An overwhelming majority, 87.14 per cent of the voters, advocated that Canada ahould remain in' the League. Only on the League question did the Canadian percentages vary appreciably from the ratios returned by the American colleges.