The Manawatu Daily Times A War to Preserve Peace ?

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 248, 21 October 1935, Page 6

The Manawatu Daily Times A War to Preserve Peace ?

The Great War ol 1914-18 has been eallecl “A War to End War.” Now 17 years later the world is laced with the prospect ol ‘‘A War to Preserve Peace.” The League of Nations, largely due to the determined leadership of Britain, is apparently prepared to go to almost any lengths to crush Italy's aggression toward Abyssinia. Moral suasion has been tried and has failed in this case as it did in the case of Japan in China three years ago.

Economic sanctions—in other words, a boycott—are now being brought to bear upon Italy. There is, however, considerable doubt as to whether these will be effective, the possibilities of leakage being so great. The adjoining nations to Italy seem to be half-hearted in their support of the proposals for sanctions

Week-end news advised that Italy was massing troops and equipment in Libya, providing a decided threat to Britain’s interests in Egypt, hor some time Britain has been building up the strength of her naval forces in the Mediterranean. Tin naval base oi Malta, just at the toe of the Italian peninsula, has been recently strengtnened. Doubtless, other precautions have been made by both Italy and Britain. These movements are of a most ominous nature. Bo they mean war?

So long as the conflict was restricted in scope to Italy and Abyssinia, the peace of the world was not directly threatened. What was threatened was the principle oil collective security. Innumerable treaties between nations, the codes of the League and the very basis of League membership all have been broken by Italy’s individual action.

The League, to a large extent personified by Britain, lias taken the stand that to allow Italy to conduct an individual conflict in defiance of all treaties whereby war has been outlawed would result in the destruction of the whole, laboriously builtup institutions for the preservation of peace. A principle, one ox the greatest importance to all mankind, is at stake. Should Italy bo allowed to proceed unchecked, then there would be no restriction upon any other nation taking the law into its own hands. The rule ox international law would cease, conditions would revert to the pre-war state, where balance of power was sole arbiter.

To-day, the world is appalled to sec a great Power, a respoiioiolc member of the League, attacking a co-member, despite world-wiclc protest. Protest has proved unavailing. Economic sanctions, equivalent to blockade, are now to be brought to bear upon the aggressor. Should these prove unavailing, should this means not bring conflict to a close, what then?

Will the world enter upon a war to preserve peace? There are sound reasons for believing that this is possible, if not, indeed, probable. But going to war for the preservation of peace would to many seem unthinkable. It is a negation of all that the advocacy of peace involves. To others, the end justifies the means. This is the supreme moral question of the period. Is war justified for the sake of peace?

The Fishing Industry

The annual report of the Chief Inspector of Fisheries was presented to the House during the past week. Two features of this report are of particular interest ai: rl call for comment. Foremost, there is shown to be a very smalt production of fish from the coasts of New Zealand. For the year ended March 31 last, only 20,000 tons of fish and fish products wore produced and the total value was but £364,849.

AVhen these totals are reduced to their proportion, the consumption per head of the population is found to be only 281b5., valued at 4s 6d, for each person for the year. The value of the fish landed to the actual fishermen was just under 2d per lb. It seems strange that fish should be 'so dear to the consumer.

The second feature of interest is that fish arc not apparently obtainable in unlimited quantities. Mention is made of a deficiency of fish stocks in comparison with former years. To the “landlubber” this is news indeed. The harvest of the seas has been considered as one available to any degree. It now appears that it is of definitely limited extent.