PATH TO PEACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 72, 25 March 1936, Page 10

PATH TO PEACE.

THOUGHT EXCHANGE.

"NOT MERELY A DREAM."

AUSTRALIAN SENATOR'S VIEW

The establishment of an international thought exchange, involving the adoption of a common language, as a means of promoting world peace, is advocated by Senator Macartney Abbott, a member of the Australian Senate, and a supporter of the Country party, who arrived in Auckland by th'c Wanganella from Sydney this morning. Senator Abbott is a son of Sir Joseph Abbott, a former Speaker of the New South Wales Parliament, and he comes to the Dominion with letters of introduction from the Australian Government to the Prime Minister, Mr. M. J. Savage.

"I am absolutely international in my outlook," said the visitor, in advancing his scheme. "I think fclio curse of the world has been our* trade barriers. They are the very things that give rise to misunderstandings, and they are the 'fathers' of most of the wars.

"My prime interest at the moment is in attempting to establish an international thought exchange. My view is that whether one looks at the matter from the producer's or anyone else's point of view, the trouble in the depression was not local, being an international disease caused by mistrust and misunderstanding. For many years past the dislocation in the relations of the nations lias been increasing, and that dislocation can only be remedied by understanding. Although we are contracting the world by means of modern inventions,.such aslwireless, and greatly diminishing distanco through aviation, the man in the street in one country is not able to exchange his thoughts with tho man in the street in every other country. I maintain that the establishment of an international thought exchange and a common language is the most practical beginning to the road to peace that the world can take. " A Practicable Scheme." "My proposal is quite practicable because, take, for instance, the international patent laws. Under them the nations agreed upon certain standard princples, and then implemented them by legislation in their respective countries so that, generally speaking, most of the world understands the Patents Acts upon established principles. Now, if one could have an international convention selecting some common medium of thought exchange—and I am not advocating any particular language or system—such a convention could undertake to pass the necessary legislation in each country to enforce tho teaching of the selected language in their kindergarten and primary schools, continuing it through the secondary education courses. The result would be that in about 15 years' time you would have a race of children in the world growing up who would understand the thoughts of each other in every country when they turned on their wireless sets." Senator Abbott added that he had advanced his scheme by way of a motion presented to the Australian Senate, and his suggestions had met with considerable support. Ilis motion proposed that, "To encourage the breaking down of barriers and in the interests of mutual understanding and peace among the nations of the world and to enable the founding of an international public opinion and literature, it is imperative that aC means of international thought exchange bo established by common language, to be compulsorily taught, and that for this purpose the Government be asked to list this question on the agenda of the next general assembly of the League of Nations." Probably when tho Senate met next month, added Senator Abbott, his motion would be proceeded with. He proposed to discuss the scheme with the New Zealand Government, because he felt that if one or two Dominions asked for the proposal to be sent forward to the League of Nations through their representatives, some forward step will be taken in the matter. Interest in Proposal. "I find that the proposal is creating considerable interest in America and Canada," said Senator Abbott, "and since moving my motion I have been agreeably surprised at the correspondence I have received. The scheme is entirely a non-party one, and it affects the whole of humanity. Furthermore, it is not a mere dream. I can remember as a young man discussing with Laurence Hargrave, who is credited by many as being the father of aviation, the future of flying. Had Hargrave's ideas been communicated to the public at that time, ho would have been scorned as a dreamer, but his dreams became an accomplished fact when in the Centenary air race Australia was brought within two days of Britain. In comparison with Hargrave's ideas the international thought exchange scheme is not a dream. The simple fact of the matter is that the world and every individual has to learn that we are all interdependent."