FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1935. SEARCH FOR SECURITY

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LVI, Issue 39, 17 May 1935, Page 4

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1935. SEARCH FOR SECURITY

What is probably the greatest problem in Europe to-day, greater even than that of the economic crisis, is that of the intense—one could almost say feverish—search for political and national security. It is greater than the slump, for in the measure and method in which this security is sought and found lie vast potentialities, either for weal or woe, to the people of Europe and to the whole world. But while the two sets of problems appear to be distinct, they act, react and interact on each other to such an intimate extent that it is impossible to separate them, or to deal with either independent of the other. At* the present time most European nations are seeking for security along- the lines of fortified frontiers and increased armaments. Age-old enmities and inherited jealousies cannot be suppressed without a titanic struggle. There was a time when it appeared as if the League of Nations and the counsels of peace and disarmament would prevail, but events within the last few years have altered all that. It is not that the League of Nations has failed, although it has been dealt some severe blows and its prestige has suffered; it is not that disarmament is not looked upon as the only means of affording a weary world the relief it so sadly needs; but the old jealousies and hatreds have flamed up again and each nation is afraid of the other, afraid to make the necessary move which, in its sound and private judgment, it knows would lead to a better state of affairs and a happier and safer world. Sabre rattling and verbal warfare areas prevalent as ever and the nations are hastily arming for some eventuality in the not-dis-tant future. With such a frame of mind prevalent from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, it is impossible to talk of disarmament, But here is the majii trouble about armaments—that sooner or later they will lead to war. At present memories of the last war are too poignant, the disasters it brought too recent and too painful for any nation to proceed to force of arms without serious reflection; but the lessons learnt will fade as the years pass and some day, when, no one knows, there will be war. In that interval, in the brief and temporary security imposed by armaments, lies the world's hope of averting war. It will give the League an opportunity for strengthening its influence, to again marshal the forces for peace, to convert the will to war into the will to peace, to replace security from armaments by a collective security in which the law, not the litigant, will be armed. It is a huge task, but not an impossible one if the leaders of the nations are sincere in their protestations for peace. A wellknown British writer, in the course of a journey through Europe recently undertaken, found that in almost every country not only was the advent of the next war freely talked about, but that amongst the people there was great horror of Avar and an intense longing to live at peace. Here, then, is the great international sentiment which must be developed and given adequate expression to during the next few short years, if Europe and the world are to escape calamity. If the will of the people who are the victims and sufferers in any war prevails, not those of the leaders who do not suffer, there will be no war, but a peace, more secure and lasting than now, and upon Europe will descend that tranquility it so badly needs to restore its strength.

About 700 elementary and secondary schools in Britain are fitted for the exhibition of talking pictures. It is hoped that within the next three years 7000 will be thus equipped.