FREEDOM MUST BE GUARDED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21947, 15 February 1946, Page 4

FREEDOM MUST BE GUARDED

MR. FRASER’S PLEA

REFUGEES’ RIGHTS

RULE OWN LIVES

ADDRESS TO ASSEMBLY LONDON, Fob. IS

An eloquent speech on free'

dom and the rights of refugees was made by the New Zealand delegate, Air. P. Fraser, to the General Assembly of the United Nations during a debate in which the Russian amendments, were defeated. Mr. Fraser agreed with M. Vyshinsky '(Russia) that there was no such thing as complete freedom. Freedom to commit crime, ignore sanitation 01 things that would impinge on the freedom of neighbours was “net even worth talking about.” but it was a different thing to give every citizen the maximum freedom consistent with the freedom of all other citizens. That was a very precious possession and had to be safeguarded. Mr. Fraser said they would have to guard against the raising up of a system that would inevitably prove tyrannical to the masses of the people of the world. They had to watch that, by building up protection against the shadow of fear and threats, they were not losing the substance • of freedom that the world had fought for and millions had died for. It was recommended that a special committee of the Social and Economic Council be established to deal with the problem of refugees. This international body would have full power to deal with the circumstances in any place, in any country and at any time. Conspiracy Prevented Referring to the first' Russian amendment to ensure that refugee camps should not be transformed into centres of propaganda hostile to the States that were members of the United Nations, Mr. Fraser said that everybody agreed that the American Third Army did a good job when .thev stopped those who were conspiring against Poland recently. Some countries, even among the United Nations, were accused of being Fascist countries whose nationals had escaped and were now carrying on propaganda for what they considered io be a tyrannical regime Asking where the propaganda became a danger and a menace to countries Mr. Fraser instanced the Poles who fought in Italy Many were killed and others were still there. “Surely their use as a military force must end,” he said. v "Cannot Go On” "They cannot go on,” he continued. “They cannot be under officers that may be perpetually hostile to Poland. ’ That must be a problem that was engaging the attention of ihe /.'lies, but when they were disbanded and they went into camp for fighting for freedom was it going to be said that their freedom of opinion and thought must now be forsaken and forbidden? The thing was unthinkable and untenable. The problem was not for the Assembly which had laid down wide principles. It was not for the Assembly .to operate them, but if it was found that any refugee camp was a nest of intrigue and conspiracy against another country, then it would be the

plain duty to stop them. But not for expressing their opinion that the Government of their country was the wrong Government. Some New Zealanders thought the Dominion Government was the wrong Government but thinking and voting for themselves was an inherent right. “We cannot possibly have that superseded because we are to hand out a crust of bread to the unfortunate people who have lost their country.' Intolerance Cause of War Asking what would have happened in world history without tolerance, Mr. Fraser said it was not tolerance that brought the war but intolerance, tyranny, deification of the State and the State personified in one man. “The doctrine of Mussolini was that he was going to preside at the burial of the corpse of liberty, ’ he said. “It was his corpse that was buried but not soon enough. That is mv honest sentiment about him.”

Mr. Fraser said he had no word for the war criminal. He added that he would not even have given a trial to sonic of those on trial at Nuremberg to-day But the point was that honesty of thought should not be stifled, even in a dispossessed person or in a people who had left their country and dared to think against the Government m that country and to say it was not a good Government, that it ought to be displaced and who expressed (he opinion that they could have a better Government.

That had been the privilege of refu gees throughout the centuries. Right to “Four Freedoms”

“No country that has gloried in the liberty of free countries can possibly be a party to agreeing to anything that will prevent the- exercise by every human being, as an essential part of the dignity of personal and human rights, his claim to human rights,” he declared. “Nobody can be a party to preventing him enjoying the four freedoms. Dealing with the second Russian amendment that refugee and displaced persons’ camps should be staffed by representatives of States to which they belonged. Mr. Fraser declared it was “almost appalling.” “The conception that refugees who are opposed to the Government of their country should be put under the subjection of those to whom they oppose does not bear a moment’s examination, he added. “No man who believes in freedom could possibly agree to that.”

Mr. Fraser agreed that the Government to which they belonged should have the right to enter the camps and tell the people where they were wrong and that they would be safe, happy and successful there.

Correcting Wrong Propaganda

The way to correct wrong propaganda was by giving the facts. The whole conception of care for refugees was that they should have as good conditions as possible to live in for as short a time as possible. When it came to setting their opponents over them and placing them at the mercy of those who were opposed to them, the United Nations surely could not stand for that.

Mr. Fraser submitted that the Russian third amendment that Quislings and war criminals should not be regarded as refugees was unnecessary. The policy cf the United Nations on that issue had already been decided. He believed that the international body to be established would do the job efficiently and safeguard the United Nations and would also see that human rights were not infringed, that tile dignity of the refugees would be observed, “and that the four freedoms that our peoples have fought for are not submerged and trampled under foot.”