DEMOCRACY’S GAIN

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 112, 4 February 1939, Page 12

DEMOCRACY’S GAIN

Time And Support From America SEPTEMBER CRISIS Earl Beatty On Unity In Imperial Foreign Policy The view that the democracies had gained two things from the outcome of the September crisis time and a great deal in the support they were now receiving from America —was expressed by Earl Beatty, chairman of the London executive of the Navy League, in an address in the Concert Chamber of the Wellington Town Hall last night. Earl Beatty said the response of the Dominions in the crisis showed thai there was a united Imperial foreign policy on that particular question at that particular time. It must lie made plain to Germany and Italy that if the rule of force were to be indulged in by them it could only be met with force by the deniociacies also.

“We meet' here tonight under circumstances which I for one would like to have been different,” Earl 'Beatty said. "We are living in difficult and troublous times. I can gain some comfort from Herr Hitler s speech, but I do think it is a mistake to search through a speech and pick out sentences here and there —a sentence such as 1 believe in a long period of peace'—when in that speech there are demands which in present circumstances we cannot accede to. It smacks too much of picking up crumbs from the Nazi table. World Shaken.

“We have recently passed through a crisis which shook the world to its very foundations. But I think that from that crisis we have gained two great things: First, time, and every hour is a gain to the democracies; secondly, I think we have gained a great deal in the support that we are now receiving from what I might call the second greatest democracy of the world —the American people." Earl Beatty said he was much struck by the very obvious change of opinion in that country since the crisis of September when he passed through it recently. It seemed to him that there was a very different feeling right throughout the nation. “The announcements of the last few days by President Roosevelt and Mr. Hoover are announcements of the utmost importance, and which I think we should regard with great sincereness and with feelings of relief also,” Earl Beatty Said. Mr. Chamberlain's Policy.

He said that on his trip he had heard a great deal of support for the British Prime Minister and also a good deal of criticism. There were only two things he would say about that. First, that there was no shred of evidence to support the view that in the crisis the dictators were bluffing, and on that assumption all criticism was based; secondly, that Mr. Chamberlain had to make up his mind that war was inevitable or make a determined effort to eradicate the causes of war. All fairminded people must applaud him for having chosen the latter course.

“The response that was received from the Dominions at that time to the Imperial Government at Home was indeed gratifying,” Earl Beatty said, “for it showed that we had a united Imperial foreign policy on that, particular question at that particular time. It must at the same time be made plain to Germany and Italy that if the rule of force is to be indiuged in by them, it can only be met with force by the democracies also. “The issue is now clesf-eut. I believe that there is still room for it to be brought home still further in this country. For I believe that in spite of the speed of news and the speed of travel in these days distance still counts, and that you here have not quite fully yet realized the real issue which lies bet ween the democracies and the totalitarian States. “Inevitably a democratic Government must have the will of its people behind it before it can move rapidly. In England we have been rudely awakened, and the nation has been made alive to its weakness. We realize now that our diplomacy must be backed up by strength in the future.”