PEACE VERSUS WAR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 245, 11 September 1930, Page 11

PEACE VERSUS WAR.

THE FOLLY OF APATHY. LECTURE BY MR D. D. INCE. The folly of ignoring the possibility of war was emphasised by Mr'D. D. lnce, M.I. Mech. E., M.I. Struct. E., F.It.E.S., in the course of a lecture on “Peace versus War,” delivered at the Municipal Hall last evening. Mr lnce, who drew on a fund of information obtained in many parts of the world, said that the storm clouds were even now gathering, and there were signs of grave portent in Europe and Asia. The Mayor, Mr A. J. Graham, presided. The speaker said that he would bow to no one in his appreciation of the British Empire. Last Anzac Day he had heard a minister say that the world had at last come to its - senses and that there would be no more war. Those who glibly stated that the last war was Armageddon spoke without a full knowledge of the Bible, asserted Mr lnce. From the book of Ezekiel it would be seen that the world was just on the brink of it. Everything was peaceful and quiet, but there would come a time when some nation would run amok. The peace movement first began in 1462, and had been sustained at intervals since then.

Britishers were lovers of peace, the lecturer continued. However, it was an unwise policy to sit still and become so weak as to attract war. There seemed to be an impression that if peace pacts were signed by the nations ail was well with the world. Reminding his audience of the fate of the famous “Scrap of Paper,” the speaker said that it would be consummate foolishness to trust Germany again. It was foolishness to trust to pacts with nations with the means and inclination to make war —rather “trust in God and keep your powder dry.” Various references were made by Mr lnce to the moral and material effect of British control and administration in the many dependencies of the British Empire. Equity and justice went hand in hand with the common law of Britain. Lord Kitchener had laid the foundation of the administration of Egyptian Sudan, which had been lifted from the depths of degradation and made a credit to the Empire. In Nigeria there was increasing prosperity, while in Malaya Britishers were held in the highest esteem.

When in Malaya he liad been privileged to hear an address delivered by the chief intelligence officer, whose duty it was to .stimulate enthusiasm in the local volunteer regiment. This officer had reviewed the militaristic aspirations of the nations. He had described Russia as being; bottled up and harbouring a hate of many generations standing against Britain. She was stated to have the largest munition factories in the world, to be manufacturing munitions and aircraft feverishly, and to be training her armies. Germany was again looking forward to the day when she could claim world dominion. Mussolini had aspirations for Italy, and Japan, not content with Manchuria, was looking for lands for her overcrowded millions. It had been ascertained that the revolt in Egypt when Sir Lee Stack was killed was engineered hy Italians, while the Japanese had reduced espionage to a fine art. The Japanese army was trained by German officers and her navy was subject to an advisory board of German militarists. The attitude of Japan was identical with that of Germany before the Great War. The intelligence officer had given the opinion that the attack, when it came, would be across the Caucasus into Palestine, Russia thus obtaining a stranglehold on the Suez Canal. To this end, it had been contended, elaborate preparations were being made. The German military powers knew a lot of what was going on behind the scenes in Germany, the lecturer continued. Germany was feeling the same as were the Dutch in South Africa between the first and second Boer wars. The cables showed that she was getting impertinent in her demands, and sought the return of the colonies taken from her. Referring to the position in the Dominion and the suspension of compulsory training, the speaker asked what would be the feelings of New Zealanders if they learned that Great Britain and America had decided to withdraw their army and navy forces for a year. What would be the result? There would be red riot in India and a general, massacre; ships would be unable 'to get through the Suez Canal; Africa would run red with blood. The British army and navy were an international police force, he asserted, and they were keeping the world quiet. The policy was defence, not offence.