Moral Rearmament For Small Powers

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 147, 24 June 1939, Page 7

Moral Rearmament For Small Powers

BELGUIM AND NETHERLANDS AGREE BRUSSELS, May 23. King Leopold of the Belgians and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, speaking last night at a State banquet in Brussels, agreed that moral rearmament can be the basis of lasting international co-operation between the small nations of Europe. The occasion was the official reception of Queen Wilhelmina on her arrival for a three-day State visit to Belgium. In his welcoming remarks, Kkig Leopold referred to the strong appeal recently made by the Queen of the Netherlands in relation to moral and spiritual roarmament. “With us, too, these royal words have found a response,” King Leopold continued. “Is it not desirable your Majesty’s noble initiative shoulu be tried also on the international planet The small Powers in Europe number more than a hundred million inhabitants. Why should they not decide to have a lasting common mind in moral and economic spheres? Why should not they, as yoiSr Majesty has so wisely said, 1 apply this concord to tackling the widespread distress and removing the hindrances which prevent world reconstruction?’ ” Queeh Wilhelmina, in her reply, said that the sympathetic words of King Leopold on moral and spiritual rearmament would find a warm response in the hearts of her people. “Moral rearmament,” she said, “need not be bound by political frontiers, and I will sincorely rejoice if it would prove to be possible to give moral rearmament concrete form in wider circles. Like your Majesty I consider this* far from impossible.”