NO RULES FOR WAR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 305, 23 November 1945, Page 5

NO RULES FOR WAR

BELIEF OF MR ATTLEE FATE OF ATOMIC SECRETS (N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) (Rec. 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 22. “I do, not believe that in a warring world there can be a set of Queensberry rules and to attempt this would be futile,” declared the Prime Minister (Mr Attlee), opening the debate on foreign affairs in the House of Commons.

“In my view .hit is impossible to isolate the problem of - the atomic bomb from the use of other, weapons,” he added. The bomb is the latest word in destructiveness and may be the last. It has brought home that if civilisation is to survive there must be no repetition of the First and Second World Wars. “I am sure that in the United States it is fully realised that there is no division in this House about the desire for the utmost co-operation on world affairs with the great republic across the Atlantic. The United Nations Organisation is an instrument which can establish the rule of law if all the nations are resolved to use it. Mutual confidence has already been established over great areas. A world war between Britain and the Dominions and the United States is' unthinkable and the task of statesmen > is to spread such confidence throughout the world. If the world again lapses into war every weapon will be used at full scale and atomic warfare will result in the destruction of great cities and the death of millions, setting civilisation hack to an unimaginable extent. “We desire to promote the use of the advances in sicentific knowledge for peaceful and .humanitarian ends. We declare our willingness to exchange fundamental knowledge with any nation that will fuTly reciprocate. Can' it be wise when the United Nations Organisation is only just born and not yet from its cradle to broadcast to the world the methods of making such a destructive weapon? , OTHER WEAPONS.

“There is not only the atomic bomb to be dealt with, but all weapons adapted for mass destruction. None of these has any legitimate place in the armaments necessary for the orderly purpose of internal security or the protection of any Government against lawlessness. I hope there will be a world-wide response to our Declaration. This is a matter which cannot be solved by Britain, the United States and Canada. It would be a disservice to the cause at heart if we tried to do so. The atomic bomb is not something vague; it is here. I want everyone throughout the world to be personally concerned in the success of the United Nations Organisation.”

Mr Attlee said the Washington Declaration was made for the purpose of increasing .the confidence between nations. Without such confidence, no international organisation could be of any avail. . “We three countries concerned in the discovery of atomic energy have already made available to the world the basic scientific information essential for its development for peaceful purposes. We declare our readiness to make available to the whole world any further basic scientific information of this kind.

“I ask the House to note our desire for reciprocity. We cannot tell what other scientific discoveries may be made and used for warfare. Therefore, we ask,.that all should be prepared to do what we have-done, and what we are prepared to do.

NO EASY BROADCAST. “The development of atomic energy for peaceful purposes is unlikely to he perfected for some years. Meanwhile, knowledge of the methods and processes already developed can lead either to its application for industrial purposes or for destruction. The proposal has been urged in some quarters that the knowledge of these processes should be broadcast to the world in the same way as the fundamental scientific information has been given I cannot think that this would be wise. In the first place this knowledge cannot be given in the form of a blueprint only. Taking scientists and technicians to the plant and explaining everything to do with this for all nations would clearly be a matter of very great, practical difficulty and I can see no reason for singling out particular nations. In the second place the discovery can be used either for peace or war. Can it be wise, when the United Nations Organisation has just been born, to broadcast the methods of manufacture? In our view this must await the growth of confidence and«, the development of safeguards. Just as soon as effective safeguards can be devised we propose the formation of a commission which will deal not only with atomic energy but with all weapons. These matters will be brought up 'soon. when the United Nations Organisation meets. The problem cannot be solved by Britain, America and Canada alone. It is a world question, the solution ot which requires not only the agreement of Governments but also the will and faith ot the world’s peoples.”