UNORTHODOX!

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 12

UNORTHODOX!

yiEWS OF DEFENCE. SPEECH BY REV. CLYDE CARR. REFERENDUM ON PEACE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Unorthodox views on the subject of defence were expressed by the Rev. Clyde Carr (Government, Timaru), in the course of the debate on the League of Nations in the House of Representatives to-day. . .. ■• ■• /_ ; "It woiild be impossible, defend New Zealand against modern aggression, particularly from the air," said Mr. Carr. "In any case, any attempt to defend your country is only an, added provocation to an enemy to continue his aggression. TOur only defence," he continued, "is in the moral character and standard of culture of the people. If the country was conquered by an alien force, unless the inherent virtues of the race were sufficient to withstand the attacks of the alien culture it would be. better that we should be conquered." At the outset of his remarks Mr. Carr expressed the opinion that the application of sanctions had been prevented by interested parties and vested interests —chiefly armament firms and their minions. It had been said during the debate that by lifting barriers to international trade they were going to remove aome of the causes of war. But he thought, that dnternational trade meant international' wari International trade involved loans between nations; that in turn led to debt, and that inevitably must bring war. In his opinion economic nationalism was the only hope for the world as an escape from war. .

"I believe," he added, "that the referendum on peace which the Prime Minister spoke about could bo extended. I believe that it would return a , result ,for peace. But not only for peace; there would be an overwhelming vote in favour of disarmament, or, if nothing better could bo secured, of unilateral disarmament." .