LABOURS AIMS STATED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22941, 10 February 1940, Page 13

LABOURS AIMS STATED

First Task Is Victory

LASTING PEACE !AN OBJECTIVE (BRITISH OFFICIAL WITtHLSSS.) (Received February 9, 7.20 p.m.) RUGBY, February 8. Labour’s peace aims are contained in a declaration of policy issued by the Labour Party executive reaffirming loyalty to the Socialist and democratic faith. . While declaring aontmued opposition to Mr Chamberlain’s Government, it calls on British people to; contribute their utmost effort to tnej overthrow of the Hitler system in j Germany, stating that though loath-) ing war, the party regards it as a ■ lesser evil than the destruction of j Parliamentary democracy and cml freedom, which is the only alterna- j tive to resistance to Nazi aggression. | Although victory is the immediate I task of the Labour Party, it states.! the issue of peace aims before a) people still further estranged by; suffering and hatred may bring last-! ing peace nearer, and it declares;! “The Allies’ war purpose must defeat Hitlerism and undo the wrongs; resulting from Nazi aggression with-, out creating new wrongs. It must be | shown beyond all doubt thfet we will j not allow aggression to succeed. The; feeling of experience in recent years ; has shown that hb trust can be; placed in the Nazi Government’s; word. . ■ j “Labour is convinced that . the: Allies ought not to enter peace, negotiations with the German Gov-; eminent, which has not performed certain acts of restitution, including the withdrawal of the German forces and police from Polish and Czechoslovakian soil. The Austrian people must truly be.free to decide whether or not they wish to remain within the Reich. Britain had stated that no material advantage was sought for Britain,. and Labour demands that undertakings be given the German peoples that their interests will be respected equally with the just interests of others. I Conflicting Clauds „ “Whatever else may be contained in the peace treaty," the declaration continues, “this assuredly will not be the last war in Europe unless, when the war ends, we succeed in reconciling the French claim to security with the German claim to equality. If Britain is neither inattentive or impatient towards either of these claims, she will have , already incurred her share of responsibility for the next war. The French people must be assured against menace and the Germans given acceptable peaceful outlets for their- energy and ambition. Labour suggests that the answer to the French claims to .security lies in the British and French peoples not being merely allies for a season, but brothers all the time.” To Germany, Labour says: “We are' opposed to any attempt from outside. to break up Germany, we do not seek the humiliation and dismemberment of the country." While desiring to welcome her into peaceful collaboration. Labour reminds Germany that the Hitler system prepared and started the war, “He would not continue it if you ceased to support him. Until the accursed Nazi regime. is overthrown there is no hope of neace between us, but if you establish a government sincerely willing that Germany shall be a good European neighbour there shall be no humiliation nor [ revenge.” The party regards the ‘ equilibrium of French;security and | equality to the future Germany as ! necessary to European peace. Russia’s Attitude Referring to Russia, the declare- : tibn states: “We hoped that the Soviet would join the democracies for the collective organisation of peace and the resistance of aggres- > sion. We should regard the extinc- ; tion of the free Finnish democracy ; as an intolerable disaster to civilisa- ! tion." Turning to more general ■ issuer, which should be included in ' a peace settlement, the declaration states: “The establishment of a cof operative world commonwealth in which national sovereignty is subordinate to world obligations is still i Labour’s aim, and it declares that i such an association must be created > and given such economic and- military power as would enable it to enforce peaceful behaviour between the members.” Regarding colonial questions, the declaration pledges Labour against imperialist exploitation, whether capitalist or otherwise, and it demands a speedy move forward to colonial self-government. Where the populations are not ready for self-government, the native interest should be paramount, being safe-: ; guarded through an enlarged man- : date system. Recognising the grav- . ity of the economic crisis which will - confront the world at the end of the war, the Labour Party proposes that “international j üblic works confer- ; ring benefits bn more than one . nation and covering the comprehen- ■ sive development _of the great i colonial Powers must be undertaken ■ through an international authority with budget powers far greater than , the League of Nations ever had.” The declaration concludes: “Victory must come to the arms of Bri- , tain and France and their allies. Peace must be won for humanity.” „ . - I POPE’S INTERVENTION SOUGHT IRISH TERRORISTS’ DEATH ■ (Received February 9, 7.40 p.m.): ■ v LONDON, February 8. The Vatican City correspondent of : the “Daily Telegraph” states that it ’ is understood that the Pope’s intervention was sought on behalf of Barnes and Richards.* the Irish Re- , publican Army terrorists, who were ; executed in Birmingham, but his ' Holiness refused on the ground that ' they, had had a fair, trial, while crime could not be justified or ex- • tenuated even by the excuse of a patriotic motive. '