INFLUENCE OF MR STALIN

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26985, 10 March 1953, Page 8

INFLUENCE OF MR STALIN

Followers’ Faith And Zeal COMMENT BY LEADER OF OPPOSITION (New Zealand Press Assoctatton) GREYMOUTH, March 9. "Without in any way agreeing with the Communist philosophy, which I think is a menace to the future of good government anywhere, I think that the late Marshal Stalin has made more impression on the human race during the past generation than any' other single personality since the propaga* tion of the Christian faith by its Founder nearly 2000 years ago,’ said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) addressing a public meeting in Greymouth this evening. “If in the next generation professing Christians have the same faith and work with the same zeal for Christian international relations, for Christian economies and for Christian social welfare as the followers of Marshal Stalin have done during the ( last generation for Communism, I believe lat we could solve the major problems facing the world today,” said Mr Nash. The most striking illustration of the Christian faith he had recently noticed was the reported act of Pope Pius XII in offering prayers for the soul of the late Communist leader, said Mr Nash. “It was a magnificent example of the universality of the Christian faith.” Concerning the new Russia, Mr Nash said he was hoping that they would be more willing and more receptive to the desires for peace of the free nations, so that the whole world could get peace and could stop the fighting in Korea. Mr Nash said that the Indian peace proposal for Korea had his strong support, but he was saddened by the action of President Eisenhower in removing the protection of Formosa X5 ven the United States Seventh Fleet. “It was a bad move, but I hope no bad comes from it.”