WESTERN EUROPE PACT

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25447, 19 March 1948, Page 6

WESTERN EUROPE PACT

MR FRASER WELCOMES SIGNING

VALUE OF PRESIDENT TRUMAN’S SPEECH

(P.A.) WELLINGTON,. March 18. Events over the last few weeks had brought a painful realisation that failure to act together, to act now, and to act with vigour would have the most disastrous consequences, said the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser), commenting to-day on the signing df the Western Europe pact. He said he regarded the pact and President Truman’s speech as matters of outstanding value and importance.

Mr Fraser said New Zealand would play its part toward assisting the solution of world problems. The leadership shown by Mr Bevin and Mr Truman -augured well for the recovery of Europe and the preservation of liberty and democracy everywhere. He welcomed the formal alliance of the Western Union which would have, as it deserved to have, the wholehearted support of the Government and people of New Zealand. The Upited Kingdom was completely right in its decision to work with other like-minded European nations to end economic misery and chaos produced by war and to affirm and secure the values they held in common. Mr Fraser said he placed a high value upon Mr Truman’s speech, which showed in no uncertain manner a proper appreciation of the.state of the world to-day. • The President had made clear that the United States government was determined to face up to the heavy responsibility which had inevitably fallen to the lot of a great and powerful nation. Thus encouraged, other democratic nations would face their present difficulties With renewed confidence . and the knowledge that effective leadership and support was available, and that the resources and combined strength of the democracies would be used for the restoration of the wartorn world and the preservation of liberty and the democratic way of life. “‘The New Zealand Government will play its part, as it has in the past, toward assisting in the solution of the problems which confront the world and, in particular, will give whatever support it can “to the United Kingdom Government in its efforts to promote the recovery of Western Europe and the preservation of the liberties and culture of - democratic people everywhere.”