ALLIED WAR AIMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1939, Page 7

ALLIED WAR AIMS

ESSENTIAL PEACE CONDITION

RESTORATION OF CONFIDENCE

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY, November 2

Following a suggestion of an extended presentation of the Allied war aims, by Lord Cecil, in the House of Lords, to-day, Lord Halifax said he thought that all recognised both the. difficulty of detailing the war aims, and also the broad purposes of the Allies. But he urged that the essential foundation, when progress towards peace was found possible, was confidence. The confidence which the .present German Government had destroyed, must be repaired.- The German Government were the only people who could repair that confidence. Britain had declared that an assurance of the present German Government was. not enough, and, in a statement on October 12, Mr. .Chamberlain suggested that, if that Government was prepared to make a real effort to repair the destroyed confidence, it was “for them and not for us. to consider how that can be done.” . " '

It was not reasonable or possible, at this stage, to define in advance a,t what moment or in what way the British purposes could be achieved. No one could forecast the prevailing conditions existing when the attempt to make peace came. What would be the state of Europe at the end of the war depended upon the length and intensity >f the struggle. Neither was the.quesion one for Britain alone. The Governments of the Allies and Dominions .vere also concerned. The time might come when it might be possible and right to state, in great--3- detail, what would be the fulfilment jf the purposes for which Britain took up arms. The primary aim was to win the war by defeating those who “have, by their repeated violation of European order and threats to freedom, obliged us to take up arms.” Instinctively, all wanted European men and women to have a chance of leading a decent and orderly life. Although some of the broader purposes might be incapable of achievement at once, if the purpose -were clear, the direction right, and the people united in defence of their principles, the outcome would correspond with the convictions of those who desired to create a world order which would enlist the co-operation of all nations, based on equality, self-respect, mutual co-opera-tion, and tolerance.

Nothing but good, Lord Halifax concluded, could come from contributions to this great problem, and every proposal ought to be considered, through which the hopes and aspirations of the peoples could be brought nearer to fulfilment. But there should be no departure from the task of securing conditions which, as far as was humanly possible, would protect the world against a. repetition of the present tragedy.