THE WAY OF PEACE.

Evening Star, Issue 22631, 24 April 1937, Page 14

THE WAY OF PEACE.

Yesterday many devoted women stood for hours at the street corners, in wintry conditions, selling the poppies which are a mens lial of heroism revca’cd in four tragic years. It is pleas ing to he able to r; ord so fine a rasps.; e to the appeal made by the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association on behalf of he “ diggers ” to whom fortune has been less than kind. Considering that twenty-two. years have passed since that first Anzac Day and that the younger generation have no knowledge of the shadows that enveloped the Empire in the 'war period and the dangers that threatened its very existence, the generosity of the people of the city and province is gratifying. To-

morrow at the services in the Town Hal) and in the churches 'of all denominations the sacrifices of the men who fought and suffered will be remembered with fitting solemnity. It is natural in the circumstances that thoughts should be concentrated on the international situation. The peace has been kept since the Armistice, though it has been an uneasy peace at times Still, notwithstanding the set-backs received by the League of Nations, the position at the moment can be viewed without pessimism. There are strong influences at work to avoid another great war. In the van stands the British Government, which is using every effort to maintain tranquillity among the nations. Mr George Lansbury, the veteran Labour statesman, has returned to London after a visit to Berlin, and as a result of talks with the Nazi chiefs feels an “ inner conviction that the catastrophe of war can be averted.” It will be noticed that in an address in Washington the Russian Ambassador in the. United States claimed that the Soviet is one of the pillars of peace and is strongly on the side of Democracy and against Fascism.

The views of M. Stalin and his colleagues on world affairs have greatly broadened since Lenin’s day. M. Litvinoff, the Foreign Minister, has been consistent in his advocacy of the League and its principles, and his lead is followed by M. Maisky, the Rus sian Ambassador in Britain. The latter gave an address in London recently at the Second National Congress of Peace and Friendship with the U.S.S.R. He spoke with no uncertain voice. Condemning the “ mailed fist ” attitude revealed in certain quarters, M. Maisky declared that Russia’s foreign policy was in the line of peace, but her Ministers could not shut their eyes to the realities of the situation. Russia has two frontiers only to defend—in the West and in the Far East—and the ambassador said that during the last few years these two frontiers had been made \ 11-nigh impregnable by great fortifications, by large armies well equipped with all the modem appliances of war. and by a huge air force. M. Maisky, with grave emphasis, assured his hearers that what he said was true in every respect, and that he was in no way bluffing. These assertions have been borne out by reports from time to time of the -unremitting efforts that were being made to bring Russia’s defences to a high state of efficiency. The Soviet policy, as defined by M. Maisky, is to give wholehearted sunport to the League, to use every effort to reinvigorate that body, and to plan methods for strengthening collective security. There is no reason to doubt the sincerity of the declarations of the two Ambassadors. Russia has no grievances and no territorial designs that are apparent. She will be fully occupied for many years in the development of her own vast territories. The Soviet has every reason to support peace movements. If she throws her full weight into these efforts, the result must be highly beneficial to the world at large.