MOSCOW CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 November 1943, Page 5

MOSCOW CONFERENCE

MR. HULL’S REPORT,

CONFIDENT UNDERSTANDING RUGBY, November 18. “Victory would have been impossible if this country and Britain, tne Soviet Union, China, and the other victims of aggression had not each risen as a unit in.the defence of liberty and independence Mr. Cordell Hull (Secretary of State) declared when addressing Congress on the results of the Moscow Declaration. “Victory would have been equally impossible if all these nations had not come together in a brotherhood of self-preservation. The convocation of the conference, said Mr. Hull, was the result of “a profound conviction on the part of President Roosevelt, Mr. Churchill and Mr. Stalin that at this stage of the war frank and friendly exchanges of views between responsible representatives of their Governments on problems of post-war as well as war collaboration were matters of great urgency.” He had gone to Moscow to discuss some basic problems of international relations in the light of the principles to which the United States, under the leadership of President Roosevelt, had given widespread adherence. He had never attended a conference where there was greater determination on the part of all the participants to move forward in the spirit of mutual understanding and confidence, and he emphasised, too, that while important agreements were reached there were no secret agreements, and none was suggested. 'General security would be the foundation stone on which the future international organisation decided upon at Moscow would be constructed. The declaration by the Soviet, Britain, the United States and China was designed to enable all peaceloving countries, large or small, to live in peace and security, to preserve the liberties and rights of civilised existence, and to enjoy expanded opportunities of facilities for economic, social, and spiritual progress. Each had in the past relied in varying degrees upon the politics of detachment and aloofness. The four Governments at Moscow had pledged themselves to carry forward to the fullest development a broad and progressive programme of international co-operation. This action was of world-wide importance. As the provisions of the declaration were carried into effect there would no longer be need for spheres of influences, alliances, balance-of-power, or any other special arrangements through which, in the unhappy past, nations strove to safeguard their security or promote their interests. TRADE COMPETITION (Recd. 10 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18. Sir Patrick Hannon, in his presidential address to the National Union of Manufacturers complained that while American planning for future trade was proceeding at an accelerated velocity there was no indication of a definite clear-cut policy by Britain. “There is a clear indication, he said, “that American manufacturers are determined to secure a leading position in world trade and there is no doubt that the competitive power of the United States, if exercised without recognition of a mutual obligation between America and the British Commonwealth, will present, from the British viewpoint, a formidable prospect. I feel we have a firstclass case on grounds of services rendered and the urgency for collaboration in the re-building of the shattered world. We should not be mealy-mouthed in telling American manufacturers that the two-way traffic of the war should be maintained in a joint reconstruction programme.” VALUE OF~INITIATIVE

NEW YORK, November 17. President Roosevelt, in an address to the “New York Herald-Tribune” forum, said: The United Nations must not lose the supreme advantage of initiative in this' war. In years and perhaps centuries of peace to follow this war, the forces of civilisation and common decency, the overwhelming majority of the human race, must always maintain the initiative. At the historic conference in Moscow we made several longsteps forward. We are making substantial advances in another field in present conferences.”. Mr Roosevelt’s address was read by Mrs Ogden Reid, Vice-President of the “Herald-Tribune.”