SPIRIT OF PACIFISM

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 90, 14 March 1935, Page 7

SPIRIT OF PACIFISM

MR MACDONALDS VIEW. “WAS BECOMING MEANINGLESS."WHITE PAPER UPHELD. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received March 14, 10.40 a.m. LONDON, March 13. Pacifism in Britain was becoming an casv-going state of mind, fervidly embracing a meaningless formula of pious aspect instead of something showing rugged realism of objective fact, says Air Ramsay AlacDonald in an article in the National Labour organ, the News Letter. Air AlacDonald. referring to the White Paper, says: For some time I have been most impressed hv the supine indifference of numbers of our pacifists to the trend of world armaments and the complacency with which they regard conditions in England. Peace lias become a matter of words and vain moral gestures, merely inviting the aggressor to attack us. Britain has been without a policy. “The Government are united in issuing the White Paper after many months of most careful consideration. It- is essentially a peace document, otherwise I would not have issued it. I am sure that when the history of recent years is written the White Paper will he classed as one of the greatest efforts in critical times to save peace,” says Air AhicDonahl BRITAIN’S PEACE EFFORTS. RECORD OF CONSISTENCY. EXAAIPLE NOT FOLLOWED. ' (British Official AYirePss.) Received Alarnli 14, 11.37 a.m. RUGBY, Alarch 13. The reasons necessitating the adoption by the Government of the policyset forth yi the recent AYliite Paper on defence are referred to in an article which the Prime Alinister contributes to tins week’s News Letter, the National Labour fortnightly. He says he was greatly concerned at the way in which the peace prospects of Europe were deteriorating and at the virtual standstill reached by the Disarmament Conference. “Some of us who wore peace-lovers were not satisfied to give voice to the well-used and familiar formulas,” ATr AlacDonald continues. “We were determined to work to make conditions •hard for aggressors and not allow the nations who did not appreciate our efforts to assume that our peace lead meant that we had ceased to take a practicable 1 interest in the opposing tendencies making for war. The White Paper makes it clear that, whilst peace is our policy, we shall not neglect obvious defence The paper ;s issued by the Government after full consideration and a very careful re : view extending over many months, during which all the aspects have been debated and examined as a contribution to peace. “Were it not a peace document I should never have agreed to its issue. Peace is its purpose throughout. For years we have sot an example to the world in disarmament. The most elementary necessities in our defence have been neglected. AYe felt that even to replace a gun might have been advertised as a departure from our peace and disarmament policy. Wo have made proposals for international agreements on armaments and have not always waited for their acceptance before doing something to carry them out ourselves. “The AYliite Paper does nothing, except in, possibly, the case of the Air Estimates, to increase our power of offence. “If our moral gestures cannot protect the world from the increasing offensive armaments we must take steps To make collective security more than words and protect our civilians against attack. I cannot believe that the great nations are blind to the dangers they run in refusing to come to the Disarmament Conferences and to make agreements which will neither threaten their own nor any other nation’s security,” says Air AlacDonald.