STUDENTS AND PEACE

Evening Star, Issue 22363, 12 June 1936, Page 14

STUDENTS AND PEACE

Comments on the back of ballot papers by voters in the university peace ballot, in which counting lias now concluded, ranged from a quotation from Shakespeare to comments on the appearance of the organisers (says the ‘ Atelbonrne Age ’). One voter who showed a definite dislike for many of the loading questions in the ballot paper quoted a line from ‘ Coriolamis,’ act IV., scene 5, line 225, which runs: “Peace is a very apoplexy, lethargic, mull’d, deaf, sleeping, insensible . .

Another comment was that the only people who could possibly answer the questions were the “ mealy-mouthed pacifists who framed them.” A large number of students put the point that the issue of peace and war was “ to obtain the least suffering for tho greatest number in the world, not merely in our own nation.” A large number also said that tho League of Nations was an obstacle to peace, but could very easily lie brushed aside, as results in the recent struggle had shown. Although a large number favoured the nationalisation of 'armaments, many pointed out that the poorer nations, which were not, under present conditions, aggressors in most conflicts, would bo in just as bad a position as ever, because they would not bo able to afford to make their own arms. There was also the usual crop of informal ballot papers signed by personages such as Hitler, and one signed Mussolini advised the organisers to ask ITaiie Selassie if be thought the League of Nations was much of an obstacle to war.