WORLD PEACE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17740, 17 April 1923, Page 9

WORLD PEACE.

V BRITAIN'S OPPORTUNITY. VIEWS OP GENERAL SMUTS. (fit CABLS—TKBSS ASSOCIATION —COPTRIOHT.) ("ekutie.") CAPE TOWN, April T<i. General Smuts, in a speech at the City Hall dealing with the European question, said it was impossible that the British Commonwealth Bliould be a more indifferent spectator in the rapidly developing crisis in Europe, where forces were being set going, such as might well end in the ruin of European civilisation. The time was rapidly coining, if it had not already come, when the British Commonwealth miftht have to define its position in certain eventualities.

"Tho Commonwealth still has thii position and to be tha nam European bulwark of the world's pence," said General Smuts. ''The League of Nations in itself is devoid of power, and can rely only o.i the fnil. disinterested backing of those Having power, and no .selfish aims of their own to serve." Foremost amongst these, he maintained, was the British Empire, whose greatest interest was undoubtedly the peace of the world, Its position should be defined and its policy made clear, and all tha world freed from doubt and misunderstanding. Not in a jingo spirit, not in a spirit of arrogant intermeddling, but in a spirit of sincere impartial .friendship to all, and in a spirit of humble, but determined loyalty to the great causo of peace, Britain should speak before it was too late, ansl before the passions of the nations carried them too far. His view was that never in all its history has the British Empire had greater opportunity of great human service. "1 trust," he said, "it will realise its greatness and the glory of its peaceful mission. and will speak the great word, which with the exception of America, it alone can still speak among the nations of the world."