BRITISH COMMONWEALTH CAN PRESERVE PEACE OF THE WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 26152, 14 July 1947, Page 9

BRITISH COMMONWEALTH CAN PRESERVE PEACE OF THE WORLD

(A.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) . LONDON, July 11. The opinion that the (British Commonwealth alone can provide an alternative to the opposing ideologies of Russia and the United States and so preserve the threatened peace of the world was expressed by Lord Altrincham, addressing the Overseas Empire Correspondents’ Association when- the association entertained a number of members of the House of Lords. “ For myself, I am unalterably opposed to the police State and all it represents,” said Lord Altrincham. “ But although we have so much in common with the United States I do not think the Americans realise where their present policy is taking them. If it is pursued 1 am sure there is a very grave danger of a third world war—a war which would leave Europe in ruins and throw mankind back into the primitive conditions from which it emerged hundreds of years ago.” The non-discrimination clause in the American loan agreement, said Lord Altrincham, placed Britain in an intolerable position, for it meant that she could not obtain the help she needed either from Europe or the other countries of the Commonwealth.

The difference between the present American policy and that of Britain during the nineteenth century was that to-day the United States wanted multilateral world trade, but insisted upon being paid for it in dollars, whereas Britain as the first great free trade nation also wanted multilateral trade, but was prepared to accept payment for it in goods. This American policy was reducing the whole outside the Russian bloc to conditions of economic dependence upon the United States, and that was an extremely dangerous situation indeed. Sooner or later, if this process proceeded, the two blocs must clash. (Britain alone could give a lead towards a solution, because with the Commonwealth she provided the only practical alternative. The British Commonwealth was in fact a working and successful prototype of the association of free and independent but co-operating nations which was the basis of the Charter of the United Nations.

If Britain defended the independence of this association, she took a line which was neither adherence to Russia nor dependence upon the United States, but which would provide a Tallying point for all those who wanted to preserve their own way of life and at the same time co-operate with their neighbours in trade. The Commonwealth Governments were at present in a stronger position to express this point of view than the United Kingdom. He hoped they would realise their responsibility and act to avert the danger which threatened the world.