A BROADCAST

Hokitika Guardian, 20 March 1940, Page 5

A BROADCAST

BY LOftD CECIL. (Per British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 18. Broadcasting on Monday, Lord Cecil said that for the last 25 years his sole interest in public affairs had been to work for peace. After reviewing Nazi aggression in Europe which had brought about the present conflict, Lord Cecil said that, for many' years past, the Prussian rulers had been guided by the doctrine that whatever Germany did was right, and they maintained that obedience to the German State took the place of all morality. “In t.ho end,” he continued, “the worship of the State means the worship of a force. The question thus raised is vital for the future of all. Is force, and nothing else, to govern the relations between States? If it is so, that means complete international anarchy. Surely we must carry oil and complete the attempt begun at the end oi the last war to create a more reasonable system of international life. There is no overwhelming difficulty in providing machinery which will secure the supremacy of law among nations, as among men, if we really mean to do it. Tt is not a simple matter, but certainly. with faith and single-minded effort, it can be done. Indeed, it has already been done in several parts of the world.” He instanced how a few centuries ago, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain were split up into a number of warring States, hut non, lie said, they were united into larger unities. Step by step they must do the same for Europe. The League of Nations was a' first attempt, and it very nearly succeeded. The causes for its non-success must be sought out, and remedied, and a start should he made to build again a European united states. That was our goal, which we could reach if we were really in earnest. For peace the first step was to stop aggressive war. That was why we were now at war. and never had the nation a nobler cause for which to fight. “When it is over,” he added, “wo must reconstruct international organisation for peace on a basis of the principle Unit aggressive war is an international crime, which it is alike the interest and duty of decent nations t,o extirpate with all their strength.”