NO MORE ISOLATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 August 1946, Page 8

NO MORE ISOLATION

AMERICAN LEADER SPEAKS AT CONFERENCE

HOPES GF FUTURE PEACE LONDON, July 30.

The United States Secretary of State (Mr. James Byrnes), in a speech at the. plenary session of the Paris Peace Conference this afternoon, said: “However difficult, may be the paths of international co-operation, the United States is determined not to return to a policy of isolation. “We must, try to understand one another. Even when we cannot agree we must never accept disagreement as final. “If the principal Allied States had not attempted to harmonise their views before this conference, I hesitate to say for how many months the conference would have to continue while they were endeavouring to reconcile their positions.” Two-thirds Vote. Declaring that the United States would stand by its agreements in the Foreign Ministers’ Council, Mr. Byrnes said: “If the conference should by a two-thirds vote make contrary recommendations, the United States will use its influence to secure the adoption of such recommendations by -the Council of Foreign Ministers.” Mr. Byrnes said that, democracy must be given a chance to grow where tyranny had stamped it out. Democracy could not be imposed or taught at the bayonet’s point. As terror inspired terror, so goodwill could inspire goodwill. “We do not want a peace of vengeance,” he said. “We want to plant the seeds of future peace, not the seeds of future wars. Above all, we must get back to conditions of peace without delay.

“The prolonged mass occupation of other countries after they have been effectively disarmed is not- the way to get or to guard peace.” Mr. Attlee’s Speech. The British Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee) said: “We are seeking to make a. beginning in re-establishing normal relations among the nations by bringing back to the European family five erring nations. “We should not devote ourselves' to examining historical claims or the supposed interests of particular States,” said Mr. Attlee. “We should keep before our minds the simple objective of removing from the minds of common people the brooding fear of another war. “Yfe must seek to make a Europe in which people will live securer and happier lives. “Let us not forget that there is a very real danger of Germany and Japan causing trouble again if dissention is allowed to .split the Allied nations.” Mr. Wang Shih-chien, the Chinese Foreign Minister, said the victors should not impose terms which would not only give reactionary elements in the defeated countries a chance to rise again, but would also deprive the democratic forces of any opportunity to survive and'consolidate. The conference adjourned till tomorrow. ITALIANS ARE “DEEPLY DISTRESSED” PARIS, July 30. “We are deeply distressed by the proposed terms of the Italian peace treaty,” said a spokesman of the Italian delegation in Paris. “The draft contradicts promises made to Italy after the Quebec conference, when we were told that the more Italy helped the common Allied effort the more consideration would, be shown/ her in the treaty. “The treaty imposes heavy expenses on a nation with an almost ruined economy. This almost means the economic liquidation of Italy, and is evidence that the two memoranda sent to the Foreign Ministers’ conference were not even considered.”