WORLD AFFAIRS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 57, 19 February 1935, Page 5

WORLD AFFAIRS

MR. FORBES’S REVIEW Dominion’s Responsibility IMPLICATIONS OF AIR PACT (By Telegrupb-Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 19. lu tho House of Representatives today, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, Prime Minister, made a statement in relation to international affairs, ot which the lollowing is a summary:— The position of the world at the moment is one ol extreme difficulty and perplexity both economically and politically, and it is in the highest degree desirable that the people ol the Dominion should be as well informed as possible on international movements as they occur. It would be absurd to suggest that this small and remote Dominion plays any decisive part in world politics, but tho times call lor the efforts of all well disposed peoples, and perhaps the weight even of New Zealand might conceivably turn an evenly balanced scale. It is felt in some quarters that the League’s collective system of maintaining the peace of the world must fail unless the membership of the League is practically universal and unless every Power can be relied upon to implement its undertakings in the fullest degree, or if that cannot be depended upon, unless means is provided of enforcing, il necessary by arms, the application of the principles of the Covenant.

In Europe, even more than in any other part of the world, there exist countless causes of international misunderstandings and disputes, and with Germany’s announcement of withdrawal from tho League, while at the same time vigorously pressing a campaign of national preparation, it is not surprising that neighbouring countries have taken alarm or that in many cases those responsible for the affairs of European countries have seriously doubted whether they can depend for their security solely upon the machinery provided at Geneva. Some have held the view that you cannot have disarmament before you have security, others that you cannot have security before you have disarmament, and the net result up to the present, despite the efforts of the Disarmament Conference extending over a period of years, is that in the present state of world tension you can have neither the one nor the other, DANGER FROM THE AIR. It seems to be generally accepted that the outbreak of auy war in the future will be characterised by immediate aerial attacks, the effects of which cannot possibly be restricted merely to combatant forces, and that these attacks will do widespread damage to life and property both civilian and military. It is, I think, generally agreed that it will be impossible to prevent such attacks without overwhelmingly superior forces, and that the most likely thing to deter a Bower which intended to wage war in this manner would be the sure and certain knowledge that if it did so a still heavier attack could rapidly be made on its own territory.

* The proposal now made by France is that all the Locarno Powers, namely, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy aud Great Britain should, with the object o f deterring an aggressor, join in an un ' ; taking immediately to give the assist ance of their air force to whichever ct them might be the victim of uuproyOked aerial aggression by one of thb contracting parties. The proposal is not mad's as an arrangement b e and Grea Britain; it Is a proposal made by France, supported Dy (i: Britain, 'or tli,, . ■ these five I osiers, with Gerni.i' iiy. of course, taking an equal share in the - :side>atiop of the proposals, sri'l it is ■ vital condition of the bole a. angement that Germany, if-She accepts should return to her place in the League of Nations. | Tht proposal differs from the Locarno ! Treaty very radically, inasmuch as Brit i Bin herself is guaranteed on this occaI s;on against aerial attack. Under the Locarno Treaty, it will be remembered, tho United Kingdom was a guaranteeing Power only and wag not guaranteed iu any way. OUR RESPONSIBILITY. The British Dominions are not parties to this proposed pact, just as they were not parties to the Treaty of Locarno, but if the arrangement comes into force and if ever tho nations that are parties to tho arrangement are required to apply the proposed guarantees, then there must be no blinking the fact that if Great Britain became involved-in war New Zealand would also be involved. This is so, not only because of the legal position as wo accept it in New Zealand; it is so because the sentiment of this country would inevitably insist on New Zealand standing shoulder to shoulder with Great Britain in such circumstances; and, even were these two reasons absent, any catastrophe that affects Great Britain must inevitably affect New Zealand also, bound up as we are in the welfare of the Old Country.

Whatever one’s point of view I am confident that nil will share the opinion that the Old Country ha s once again taken a bold and courageous step, and has again shown her willingness to face a risk in the interests of world peace and the security of mankind.