PREVENTION OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 287, 31 August 1931, Page 5

PREVENTION OF WAR

Cancel All Public Debts “THE BEST INSURANCE” “The best insurance against further wars would be popular insistence on the cancellation of all public debts arising out of the late war,” said Mr. P. J. O’Began in a lecture last evening on “Wur and War-mongering, and the Menace to Freedom.” Mr. A. Parlane presided. The speaker maintained that few wars would be justified by "the unerring judgment of posterity.” The Hundred Years’ War was duo to the extension of British sovereignty to territory on the Continent, but'it was undeniable that the loss of that territory—portion of the heritage of the Norman Conquest—had been in Britain’s best interests, anil certainly it was" in the interest of Europe. The American War of Independence had cost Britain one hundred millions, but everyone had long since agreed that it was one of the greatest examples'of national folly. The rationale of the twenty-five years’ war with the French was to crush the newly-born republic. The French Republic had survived," however, and the true view was that the French people would have never, submitted to Napoleon had not the Powers of Europe combined to crush ;the revolution. i

The men who opposed the Crimean War —Bright and Cobden, for example—had been as traitors, but where was the justification for that war, which had involved alliance with the “unspeakable Turk,” and with the despot who had tried to destroy the liberties of France? asked the lecturer.' During the debate on the Address-in-Reply in 1878 t the late. Lord Salisbury admitted that in the Crimean War we had “put our money-on the wrong horse,” and such was'the general verdict.

In the days of the Hundred Years’ War or the Wars of the Roses the nobility had little regiird for popular rights, but they were certainly more courageous and honest .than their; modern successors. They were more courageous, because they bore the brunt of the fighting themselves, and they Were more honest because they bore the greater part of the cost, Accordingly in those far-off times wars were paid for as they progressed, and Britain had incurred no public debt in- consequence. “The Long Parliament, in the name of liberty, abolished the incidents of feudal tenure, including the obligation; of, the 1 landlords to bear the cost. of war, and thus began in England indirect taxation and public debts—the two modern devices for the enslavement of the people, without which war would very soon cease to; be a matter of practical politics,” said : Mr. O’Regan. 'xffff ff' ;The speaker reviewed the position in this country. In 1885 we had worked, ourselves into a white heat about ; the; Russian advance -toward Afghanistan,and the historian -Fronde', who was in New Zealand at the time, had been amazed at the popular excitement. Fortunately the statesmanship of Mr. Gladstone had cpmpelled the British iwithdrawal from Afghanistan, but we were surely entitled to ask, what Afghanistan had to do with us? The answer was: “Jttst as much' as the alleged grievances of the Outlanders in the Transvaal, the integrity of Belgium, or the sovereignty of Alsace-Lor-raine!” z - ' ' Compulsory .Training Denounced. Our participation in the South African adventure had led to the adoption .of compulsory training in ’ 1909, despite its •emphatic denunciation in a policy speech at Feilding a year earlier by-the Premier, the late Sir Joseph Ward, The depression had now done more than argument could do to bring politicians to reason, i;;’ln < the twenty-one years the system had, been in operation in this country, there had been an inexcusable waste bf .public money in connectipg.s.,therewith, but even, yetlthe expense- was wasteful because unwarranted. We had never yet been called upon to defend New Zealand, but we had, sent men to the ends’! of the earth in connection with quarrels! with which we were not in the least! con;i cerned.-li- The - speaker- made a strong at-; tack upon the diplomacy which had led! Great Britain into the Iqte war, quoting! from Lord Grey’s autobiography in support, and pointed out that Lord Grey’s’ colleague, Earl Loreburn, 'in his book, “How- the War . Came,” had s/.id that we were led into war unprepared and in a Russian quarrel, because we had been tied to France in the dark. Mr. O'Regan concluded: “What is sorely needed in,this country is a national spirit of self-respect which will teach the' politicians, to look more to their; own ( fellow-citizens; and less- to, London for: limelight.” ' ; '