BULWARK OF PEACE

Gisborne Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 9670, 17 April 1923, Page 5

BULWARK OF PEACE

POSITION OP BRITISH EMPIRE

POSITION MUST BE REFINED

WORLD SHOULD BE FREED FROM DOUBT.

GENERAL SMUTS’ VIEWS

(United Press Association—Copyright.) CAPETOWN, April 14. General Smuts, at the City Hall, leading with the European question, said, it was impossible that the British Commonwealth should be a mere indifferent spectator in the rapidlydeveloping crisis in Europe, where forces were being set going such as 'might well end in the ruin of European civilisation. The time was rapidly coming, if it had not already come, when the British Commonwealth might have to deline its position in certain eventualities.

The British Commonwealth, lie said, still has the position and power to bo the main European bulwark of the world’s peace. The League of Nations in. itself is devoid of power and can rely only on the full and disinterested backing of those having power and no selfish aims of their own to serve. Foremost amongst those was the British Empire, whose greatest interest was undoubtedly the peace of the world. Its position should be defined, its policy made clear, and all the world freed from doubt and misunderstanding, not in a jingo spirit, not in a spirit of arrogance and intermeddling, but in sincere, impartial friendship to all; in a spirit of humble, but determined loyalty to the great cause of peace. It should speak before it was too late, and before the passions of the nations carried .them too far. His view was that never in all its history had the nation bad a greater opportunity of great human service.

“I trust it will realise the greatness and glory of its peaceful mission, and speak the great word which, witli the exception of America, it alone can still speak among the nations of the world.”

General Smuts quoted from an intimate personal letter from Mr Cosgrave, as follows: “The British Government acted in the best of good faith, and wo kept faith with them.” General Smuts regarded, these words as proof that Ireland had at last turned her back on the bloodstained past, and that a fruitful era of understanding and mutual loyalty between her and Britain would replace the tragedy of the past. General Smuts sincerely wished that Ireland, like South Africa, might in the final reconciliation with England reap a great reward for all her past sufferings.—A. and N.Z.C.A.