BRITISH PEACE BALLOT

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 24 July 1935, Page 7

BRITISH PEACE BALLOT

Organisers of National Poll Wait on Prime Minister SIX QUESTIONS SUBMITTED POLICY BASED ON THE LEAGUE (British Official Wireless.) Received 1 p.m. to-day. - RUGBY, July 23. Mr Stanley Baldwin and Sir Samuel Hoare to-day received a deputation of the organisers of national declaration on peace and disarmament, commonly known as the peace ballot, in which 11,500,000 votes -were cast out on an estimated possible 30,000,000. The deputation, led by Lord Cecil, presented the result of the voting on six questions submitted, which varied from majorities of 13 to one in favour of support of the League of Nations to three to one in favour of the employment of military actions, and a majority for tho total abolition of military and naval aircraft by international agreement by four to one. Lord Cecil said that 500,000 voluntary workers, by whose services the ballot was taken, were found everywhere, but especially in humble homes. There was an eagerness to vote and a very intelligent appreciation of tho is sues.

Tho Dean of Chichester emphasised the great inerest the churches had taken in the national declaration. It revealed a marked development of opinion, for many who started with jjacifst opinions had come to see that the full doctrine of the covenant was vital to a preservation of peace. Miss K. D. Courtney said tho ballot appealed to women because it represented a recognition of the value ol the judgment and intelligence of the ordinary citizen, and because it enlisted the support of people of all p;vrties.

The Prime Minister welcomed the deputation which, lie said, would be aware that the foreign policy of His Majesty’s Government was founded upon the League. That had been made plain many times in declarations and by their actions at Geneva, where they had taken a lead in endeavouring to secure a settlement of international disputes by peaceful means in accordance with the Covenant. He would not discuss the questions submitted in ballot in detail, some of which frankly he would have wisned to see put in a different form, but ho would not but De grateful for the deputation’s action in coming to see him and to know that the object of the ballot was not to criticise the Government, (but to show the large volume of public opinion behind them in the efforts they were making to-day to. maintain the authority of the League.

*‘\Ye are living in a period of very disturbed international relations, and I am glad of the opportunity to assure you that the Government intends to persist in the policy it hitherto has pursued, and that the League remains the sheet anchor of British policy.” he said. “As the result of exchanges which have taken place, it can now authoritatively be stated that close agreement exists bet.ween the Frenoh and British Government in regard to the efforts they are making to obtain a peaceful solution of the Italo-Abys-sinian dispute. It is widely hoped that at the League Council meeting, which is to be held next week, thorough ventilation of the issues involved will reveal lines upon which such a solution may be sought. It will be for members of the council to decide upon the agenda, but while the incident at Wal \\Tnl will in all probability be the first dealt with, it is considered almost certain that the council will thereafter desire to consider the dispute in all its aspects.”