THE FUTILITY OF WAR

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 113, 9 April 1930, Page 4

THE FUTILITY OF WAR

ADDRESS BY DR. GIBB. WORK OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS. That civilisation would not survive another world war was the opinion expressed by Dr J. Gibb, of Wellington, in the course of an address delivered at a well-attended meeting in the Palmerston North Council Chambers last evening. Taking as his subject. I “War and the League of Nations, Dr Gibb emphasised the futility of wholesale destruction to settle international disputes and dwelt at length upon the formation and functions of the League of Nations. At the conclusion of the lecture it was decided by an almost unanimous vote to form a branch of the League of Nations Union in Palmerston North. The Mayor (Mr A. J. Graham) was in the chair.. THE WORST ENEMY. Dr Gibb said that, if it were true that man had risen from the beast, man must get rid of war if he was not to sink back to the beast again. He branded war as God’s and man’s worst enemy, yet the gallantry of the soldiers under the most gruesome conditions vi as worthy of the highest admiration. When one spoke tne truth about war one was accused of treason to the soldiers. The Empire fought to end war—that it might be wiped from the earth for ever. Science had placed unlimited resources at the disposal of the nations for wholesale tlesn uction, and war as now waged was a sheer futility and a sheer wickedness. He would not thus condemn all warfare, as he held that some battles in history were justified by the ends aimed at and achieved. But that day, like slavery, was gone. The Great War was fought with all the paraphernalia of modern science, it was a fight of populations against populations, bringing starvation by blockades, and destruction to thousands cf civilian families by bombs. The most recently invented bomb, no larger than an orange, would destroy thousands, devastate acres and poison I every boast within a large area. War did not protect the weak. It was an appalling waste of life and money. Britain’s debt before the war was £700,and was now £8,000,000,000. Three-fourths of the country’s income was spent in paying debts for past wars, and in preparation for future conflicts.

FOLLY OF WAR,

The folly of it all was that the money had not been for the salvation of humanity, but for the destruction of mailkind. New Zealand’s bill for defence last year was £928,091, and the preparations were “sheer tomfoolery,” particularly when it was realised that the Dominion had 10,000 unemployed ail'd a debt of £264,000,000. The moral and spiritual deterioration resu tant upon warfare had to be

faced, Dr .Gibb continued. The moral tone was lowered in every country. Rcmmque’s book, “All’s Quiet on the Western Front,” served admirably to demonstrate the moral influence war exercised upon those engaged in it. Quoting from tli ebook, the speaker said that “it would tell a tale of men who escaped shot and shell to be destroyed by the war.” Reference w r as made to the propaganda of falsehood, cases being cited of lies that had been circulated to keep alive the spirit of the war. THE NEW SYSTEM., Was this monstrosity to continue, asked the speaker. The statesmen of the world realised that war would never be stamped out under the old international system,- and so there was devised the new system of the League of Nations, with the avowed intention of settling international disputes by arbitration. Its principal instigators were the late .President. Wilson, Lord Robert Cecil and General Smuts. The speaker quoted the .preamble to the Covenant, with its solemn injunction to avoid the settlement of disputes by war. The constitution and chinery of the -League were described. If a dispute of a legal . nature arose between two nations they were pledged to take the matter to the International Court of Justice at The Hague and accept the verdict. This .was a result of the .optional clause, which the principal nations of the world, with the exception of Japan, had signed. The League was a clearing house for promoting the peace and prosperity of the world: There were people who said , that disputes between people would continue until the eiid of I time and that disputes between nations would continue. This -statement was correct, said .the speaker, and- he did not propose to combat it. However, in the old days it was customary to settle such disputes by rapier or pistol and by warfare. But now a dispute between two individuals ■ was settled in a court of law and the purpose of the League was to settle disputes between nations in an international court. If the Le.ague failed, there would be no hope—tnere would be another mad competition ‘in arms. It was the fact that Europe was armed to the teeth that had precipitated the Great War. MAKING WAR DIFFIQULT.. If . war had not yet been entirely put in leash, the League had made it more difficult to let slip the dogs of war. The League was the most' wonderful organisation the world had 'ever known for the uplift of humanity.: But it was only a machine, and its power was the power of public goodwill. . Referring to the-league of Nations Union, the speaker said that its object was to disseminate knowledge concerning the League and give utterance to its ideals. . The union in Britain had a. membership of 1,000,000. In New Zealand it was instituted in 1921, but had not made" very marked progress. " There were 20 branches with a membership of between 4000 and' 5000. Dr. Gibb said that' the union in the Dominion had, however, been instrumental in dispelling the veil of darkness that had prevailed. regarding knowledge of the activities of the League. He was. in Palmerston North as the representative of the Dominion executive of the union, and hoped that

as an outcome of his visit a branch would be formed in Palmerston Nort - A vote of thanks was proposed .V Rev G. T. Brown and was earned by acclamation. • Mr Brown , also moved that a branch be formed in Palmerston North, Mr Davidson seconding. The motion was carried after a dis cussion in which Messrs H. Burrell, KRoss and V. A. Christensen took part-