Timely Topics

Northern Advocate, 19 July 1938, Page 6

Timely Topics

? “The terrible tension under which I the world is living today makes us : not wonder that trade is declining,

t but makes one | “THE TERRIBLE wonder how trade I TENSION.’’ ever recovered

? (says Mr Oliver ? Stanley, President of the British ißoard of Trade). It makes us won- ‘ der not how trade is lost, but how

there is any trade at all. “It is a tribute to the immense potentialities of industry today, and to the invincible optimism of mankind, to the almost unbeliev'able prosperity which might come to the world if only these terrible clouds could lift, and if only we could say t 0 ourselves: For ten, or fifteen, or twenty years ahead, for my lifetime and that of my children, peace is certain, and I ■ have not to worry about the shatter- | ing of ray security. There ai’e many [things which the Government can do [for industry, whether by helping industry to reorganise, or by tariffs or [ agreements with foreign countries, [but nothing of that kind compares fin importance with what the Governiment can do for the industry of this if it can secure the relaxation of international tension.” [ '«! SS E! !S [ “The dividing line between 'aggressive and defensive weapons is so nar- | row. if one exists at all, that it is \ quite a matter • A THIN of opinion upon ?DWINDLING LINE, which side of f the line the gas jmask is to be placed (says Mr Leighton Yates, in “Reconciliation”).

“Most of the nations have signed a protocol not to use gas against civilian populations; the manufacture of gas masks and the widespread training in anti-gas precautions is a clear indication that the signatories are not to be trusted. “Distrust of other nations is one of the causes of war and, while it is true to say that air raid precautions can of themselves cause no physical harm to another nation, it is certainly not psychologically true. It is quite unreal to say they are purely defensive when they give rise to or increase the psychological causes of war.

“If they are intended to s'avo life, then why is the estimated expenditure on air raid precautions so deplorably inadequate compared with the expenditure on weapons undoubtedly made to destroy life. “If all the energy being put into 1 thinking how we can keep the poison gas from going down the throats of the people ’ were spent in peacemaking activity, I Wave little doubt that every one of the fifty million ‘ 2/3 gas masks ’ would be unnecessary.”