POST-WAR WORLD

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 126, 30 May 1941, Page 7

POST-WAR WORLD

OUTLINED BY EDEN

CHECKS ON GERMANY

SECURITY FOR. ALL : •4i

LONDON, May 29. The Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, spoke at the Mansion House today on Britain's plans for reconstruction, and said that the British aim would be to free the post-war world from want. He said it would be Britain's wish to work with others to prevent the starvation' of the post-armistice period, the currency disorders throughout Europe, and wide fluctuations of employment, market, and prices which were the cause

of so much misery in the twenty

years between the two wars,

These things would be checked in ways which would interfere as little j as possible with the proper liberty of each country in its own economic affairs, said Mr. Eden. He observed that in a system, of free economic cooperation Germany must play a part, but here he drew a firm destinction. EUROPE'S WORST MASTER. Britain must never forget that Germany was the worst master Europe had yet known. Five times in the last century she had violated the peace, and she must never be in the position to play that role again. The political and military terms 'of peace would be designed to prevent the repetition of Germany's mistakes. Referring to the Nazis' military victories, Mr. Eden said there had never been anything so brutally thorough in all history. It was serfdom made absolute, and no country and no continent would be safe until the system was smashed. "The Nazis are creating a flood of hate unparalleled in force and volume." he said, "and when the dam bursts it will sweep Hitler and his gang away. Every German in his heart must know and fear this." ENSLAVEMENT THE AIM. Inspired by their theory of a master race, the Germans plan to be the new aristocracy in the territories under their domination, while the unfortunate inhabitants of non-German origin are to become mere slaves to their German overlords.

"It is a fixed and deliberate policy of subjugation. The first step in Hitler's 'new order' for Europe is the creation of slaves. We cannot now

foresee when the end will come, but it is in the nature of a machine so rigid as the German machine to break suddenly and with little warning." Turning to the British plans for the post-war world, Mr. Eden said: "We have declared that social security must be the first objective of our domestic policy after the war, and social security will bo our policy abroad no less than at home. Only the countries of the British Empire, with their allies, the] United States and South America, are j in a position to carry out a policy of reconstruction." REVIVING TRADE. Mr. Eden said that when peace came Britain should make such relaxations of her wartime financial arrangements as would permit, the revival of international trade on the widest possible basis. He hoped to see the development of a system of international exchange in which the pledging of goods and services would be the central feature. The liberated countries, and maybe others, would require an initial pooling of resources to carry them through the transitional period. Developments elsewhere, as for example in the Far East, might- affect and be affected by the plans for the reconstruction of Europe. The economic reorganisation of Europe would not be easy, but Britain would not shirk the responsibility. "We have learnt Uie lesson of the interval between the two wars," he said, "and we know there is no escape from the curse that has been lying upon Europe except by the creation and preservation of economic wealth in every country. "Only our victory can restore both to Europe and to the world this freedom, which is our heritage from centuries of Christian civilisation, and that security which only can make possible the betterment of man's life upon the earth." TRIBUTES TO BELGIANS. Referring to the Empire's allies, Mr. Eden said he was convinced that the Free French carried with them the hopes and prayers of the great mass of the French people. The Belgians, who were also in the thoughts of the British people, were grouped round King Leopold, who maintained with unbroken dignity his position as a prisoner of war. It was later learnt that Mr. Eden's tribute to the Belgian nation and their King had been received with the deepest appreciation in Belgian circles in London.

Mr. Eden's statement has created a very favourable impression in the United States. Early messages from Washington say that the White House and the" State Department received the statement with considerable pleasure.