JUST CAUSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20034, 5 September 1939, Page 7

JUST CAUSE

CALL FOR FAITH BACKING BRITAIN MR. FRASER’S APPEAL SACRIFICE AND DEVOTION FIGHT FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS RALLYING OF FORCES (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. “It remains for the people of the British nations now to show we have faith in our case, and a readiness to back our cause by self-sacrifice and devoted effort,” declared the actingPrime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, in a broadcast address at 1 a.m. in which he repeated the assurance that Britain had the whole-hearted support of New Zealand in the present crisis.

“The calamity which all of us hoped against hope would be averted, has fallen upon the world,” said Mr. Fraser. The British Commonwealth of Nations is at war with Germany. Those who heard Mr.. Chamberlain’s solemn and moving statement to the people of the British Commonwealth from the Cabinet rpom in No. 10 Downing Street, must have been deeply moved by his fateful words. The British Government did everything it possibly could to avoid war, and to bring about a peaceful solution to the dispute between Poland and Germany. Friendship Rejected

“Even in this dark hour the people qf the United Kingdem and the British Deminiens can say in all sincerity and in purity of heart that they harbour no feelings of bitterness or hatred towards the people of Germany. The attitude of the British Government to the rulers of Germany has been both friendly and frank. In the name of the British people they extended the hand of friendship ’to the German people, while making plain their intention to stand firmly by their pledge to Poland. The rulers of Germany rejected Britain’s outstretched hand of friendship and, even while negotiations and efforts for preserving peace were still in progress, engaged in deliberate and indefensible acts of aggression against Poland which, if persisted in, were bound to result in the tragedy of war between Great Britain and themselves With fuil knowledge of the dread probability, Herr Hitler and his associates relentlessly and cynically pro-, cecded with their policy of ruthless aggression, and plunged the people of four great nations into war and bloodshed.

“For years past Great Britain has made many concessions and many sacrifices in jhc cause of peace. The peoples of the commonwealth have willingly shared in those sacrifices, and I -am sure that in the days ahead they will make even greater sacrifices and will demonstrate their loyalty to their democratic ideals, which are the fundamental principles of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Faith in Principles

“On every possible occasion in the Council and the Assembly of the League of Nations and elsewhere, New Zealand has proclaimed her faith ia non-aggression, in peaceful settlement of disputes between nations and in world peace based ca- the principle of human brotherhood, fair dealing and international righteousness. New Zealand proclaims her faith in those principles to-day in this hour of trial and danger, as steadfastly as ever before, and will stand firmly with the United Kingdom in helping to resist the aggressor, whose victory would mean the triumph of violence and the trampling underfoot of all that we hold dear acid have striven for in relationships between nations. We cannot depart from the principles of freedom and justice in international affairs. If we do not stand by those ideals, our civilisation will collapse and crumble into dust. “Because the democracies have not been actuated by warlike ideals and by aggressive intentions, the Nazi Party in Germany and Herr Hitler in particular have led themselves apparently to believe that the peace-loving nations would not resist. Despite appeals to reason and statements that Britain and France would adhere to their pledged word and defend right, their firm intentions were disbelieved. “It remains for the people of the British nations now to show that we have faith in our case and readiness to back our cause by self-sacrifice and devoted effort.

/ Dominion Preparations “I am able to assure the people of the Dominion that every possible preparation has been made to guard our shores and to face the conflict that now unfortunately confronts us. Steps will be taken under the regulations just gazetted to prevent exploitation nd profiteering in the hour of our country’s trial and to safeguard the welfare and liberties of our people, as well as to maintain the social and economic progress achieved. “The whole of the commonwealth has undertaken measures to this end and. as announced, we in New Zealand, have not been lacking in this respect. In Great Britain, as you all know, stupendous efforts have been made and the British people can face the future with every confidence, no matter how great and tragic the tasks that lie ahead. The success of this country’s effort is, of course, dependent upon the people’s will and upon the people themselves. Everyone—every man and every woman —must play his and her part, and we know that they will “The Government of New Zealand has assured the Motherland of its whole-hearted support in the message published, in the press and which will he broadcast. We address ourselves with said hearts, tout with firm determination, to the immediate task in hand of rallying all the forces and resources of our land, so that we can stand side by side with the United Kingdom and the other nations of the British commonwealth in their struggle for international righteousness “The ‘ conflict is between inter-

national friendship and international brute force, between reason and ruthlessness, between democracy and despotism. Not in anger but in sorrow, not in light-heartedness but with heavy hearts, not in hatred but with a grave sense of the great responsibility to mankind and to the future of humanity, not in malice and revenge but with a prayer for peace on our lips, the British people to-day dedicate themselves to the work ot overthrowing the oppressor and freeing the peoples of the earth from bondage and slavery, and ruthless and cruel tryrannv. That the conflict will be brief, that reason will reassert itself, that justice will speedily triumph, that the sword which has been drawn so ruthlessly will be rapidly returned to its scabbard and that soon peace will prevail and righteousness reign, must bo the fervent prayer of all.”