CHANGING WORLD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 195, 19 August 1942, Page 6

CHANGING WORLD

DEMOCRACY'S THREAT

CREDITMEN'S ADDRESS The duty of those who are not in the fighting forces, to think in terms of the future, was the subject of an address entitled "Changing World Conditions," given by Mr. A. K. North to the Auckland Creditmen's Club to-dav.

There was little doubt that history had in the past continually repeated itself, with wars ever intensifying in horror with successive generations. and people were justified in asking whether it was inevitable that the flower of the land should endlessly be given up as a sacrifice. There were, he believed, three vital matters for prior consideration. Firstly, the winning of the war: but of equal importance was the winning of the peace, secondly; and. thirdly, to maintain the principles of democracy, which to-day many believed to be'in peril apart from the present war.

This was a titanic struggle between two conflicting ideals — the law of the jungle and the laws of God. Some were inclined to say: Let these considerations rest until after the war. but that would not do, in view of the experiences following the last war. which was supposed to make the world safe for democracy. It did not do so, and he believed no war ever could. He suggested the possibility that certain militant political forces now in power might be equally blind and ruthless after the war as had other political powers before them.

The speaker then referred to the proposals of "a certain thoughtful writer "whose proposals for an overwhelming force as a post-war measure to ensure peace might contain the germ of an idea. Such a force would take steps to stamp out incipient signs of war. Planning for the peace would at least keep them awake to what was going on.