The Dominion FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1928. SCAREMONGERING IN THE PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 302, 21 September 1928, Page 10

The Dominion FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1928. SCAREMONGERING IN THE PACIFIC

It has taken a great deal of trouble to get the great nations of the world into the habit of discussing organised international peace as a practical possibility. Having acquired the habit, they have discovered that exploratory discussions have produced unexpected results. Nobody, five years ago, would have predicted the signing of the Kellogg Peace Pact. The ultimate realisation of the Peace Ideal may be remote. Recent notable achievements in pursuance of that Ideal, however, have created a public state of mind favourable to further enterprises. It is regrettable, therefore, that one’s hopefulness should be disturbed by such scaremongering as appears in the cablegrams to-day in the name of a French Cabinet Minister (M. Sarraut). Without mincing matters, M.' Sarraut declares that unless antagonistic interests in the Pacific can be reconciled, there will be staged in that theatre “the most formidable conflict civilisation has ever known, beside which the late War will appear a mere skirmish. Having thus dramatically arrested everyone’s attention, le proceeds to analyse the problems of the situation. The result is a picture calculated to disturb the composure of the beholdeis. M. Sarraut’s analysis of the situation may be perfectly sound On the same line of reasoning, however, one couldqur e safely predict trouble in almost any part of the world. One might saj for example, that unless Great Britain and the United States can reconcile their views on naval disarmament there may ensue a tiagic conflict between these two great English-speaking nations. There are elements of danger in all international relationships. The problem is to deal with these elements by practical commo - sense negotiation as they present themselves for treatment. . M. SarrautXfises the Pacific 1 problems in such a way as to raise in the mind the suggestion that they are so difficult that wai may be the only possible means of solving them. He may possibly have thought, by raising such an appaiit on, to stampede public opinion some distance further along the load to peace. But that is not the way to Peace. lhe peace proposition represents a spiritual ideal, flanked and supported by substantial practical considerations. . The last War convinced the world that the gains were altogether disproportionate to the loss of money, destruction of life and property, and general disorganisation of business. In other words, that war is not only cruel and diabolical, but bad business.. If people talk long enough about peace they may eventually achieve it Conversely, if they talk enough about the possibilities of war they will finally arrive at the point where it becomes a test question. For that reason one cannot regard M. Sarraut s scaiemongering as a very helpful contribution to the peace movement.