THE WAY TO PEACE,

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 31 August 1936, Page 6

THE WAY TO PEACE,

War fans tell us that the 1914 dose is to be repeated until the patient is either well or dead. "Dead" seems the probable issue of the next war. These war preparations seem to me absurd and idiotic. I know of nothing more costly than war, and I advocate spending the money on peace now, 'before the war comes. I advocate giving a square deal to the world, the whole world, and whatever it costs us, it will cost us less than war. The supreme evil for the British Empire is war, because we have acccss to every mortal thing we want and more square miles per man than some countries have square feet. The supreme evil for other countries is not war, but econo- ■ mic slavery; no raw materials, no colonies. Well, they must fight or perish as. nonentities. No, I do not advocate returning to Germany her colonies. Why? Because Germany will turn tlieni into armed camps and exclude the world, just as we are doing. The British Empire to-day has the power to put an end to the world's preparation for war. The millions of square miles of territory which she has could nearly all, especially in Africa, be placed under tlie rule of the League of Nations for the use of the whole manufacturing world. Trade barriers could 'be thrown down for an example of freedom of trade, native races protected. Indeed, this would so strengthen the League that it would develop into a League of All Nations. Now it is along these lines of intelligent planning of honest square deals, of generous gestures, of goodwill; along these lines of progress that the world can emerge from this Shameful, murderous hatred and \ slaughter that blackens our civilisation. Furthermore, this generosity is cheap; far cheaper than war. I entreat all those who love ■humanity to come forward to help to dispel this brooding war cloud, that we may have peace and enjoy the bounty God has- given us and live in neighbourly harmony. RUBY E. WATSON.