PACT WILL STOP WAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 February 1935, Page 7

PACT WILL STOP WAR

MR. MACDONALD’S CLAIM

“EFFECTIVE DETERRENT” Cbritish official wireless.] . RUGBY, February 8. The Anglo-French conversations, and in particular the air agreement, were referred to by Mr. MacDonald, during a speech at Luton. The position before those conversations, he said, was that both Germany and France made demands which others could not acce.pt. They had now dealt with them simultaneously, and as a result he hoped Germany would appear again at the League, carrying the honour she claimed.' France, there with Germany, would discuss security and as a result of that discussion, he hoped that the broken road to more international agreements regarding armaments, would be made good, and the nations would move again substantially onward to a state of peace. Regarding the proposed air agreement, the Prime Minister pointed out that in wars of -the past, when they had only to deal with land and sea forces, it took days for a conflict to really begin. “But, to-day, within six or eight hours after declaration of war, aeroplanes may be flying over your capital cities, and your wives and children may be under their wings. In these times, you cannot wait for days to see what you are going to do. You x have to move quickly. You have to move without w'aiting, and if you do wait, it means the aggressor State is encouraged to attack you. So far from quick action now being precipitate action, if there is an aggressor State anywhere in the world, plotting and planning war, that aggressor State knows : that the moment it sent its aeroplanes to attack its enemy, then it will be met with a combination that makes-' vetory impossible fof it. '* what we do is that we set tip by'this agreement the most effective deterrent to an aggressor that has' ever, been set up by the diplomacy pt hattons.r. It is a great step to peace. It is a "great step in making war unthinkable and impossible. Only by this active aggression against war, can we abolish the danger of war.” SIR J. SIMON’S SPEECH. . . .„ ... RUGBY, February 8. Sir J. -Sifiioiri fle.w this afternoon •from to attend the banquet of'.th’e Brißsl}.:. Chamber of Commerce, 1 in fulfilment of an engagement made many weeks ago. In the course of a speech, he said he was glad to follow a tradition whereunder a member of the British Government endeavoured to attend this annual'function. It was with the subject of Anglo-French commercial relations that the Chamber A was concerned, but it- was always well to bear in mind the .connection between political conditions and commercial relations. Europe was suffering from economic paralysis , largely due to political uncertainties .and political fears. Business depended upon confidence and nothing would do so much to restore commercial confidence in Europe, as bringing about political appeasement, and good understanding between nations, and the removal of those suspicions and uncertainties which make businessmen hesitate, • when they would like to be bold, and which hamper international trade. He could not let the occasion pass without saying with what pleasure they in London received the visit of the French Ministers a. few days ago. “We believe we then did good work together, good work not merely for our two countries, hut good work for Rhe world and good work for peace. That work was not work directed against any other country. We were not aiming at some .limited understanding, but seeking to promote peace and well-being of all by putting forward suggestions as a basis for free and equal, negotiations between all concerned, in structure of peace may rest'on" the surest foundations. If it is recognised w6 are working together in that spirit, and if others whom we invite to consult with us, will make their contribution in the same comprehending spirit, then I. believe in 1935, we may see a great advance towards the establishment df those conditions 'upon which political confidence and commercial prosperity depend.”

BRITAIN' AND AUSTRIA

RUGBY, February 7.

The Austrian Chancellor, after paying a short visit to Paris, will come to London on February 24, accompanied by the Foreign Minister (Berger Waldenegg) ..and is expected to remain until February 26.