Peace Or War In 1964?

Northern Advocate, 30 September 1943, Page 2

Peace Or War In 1964?

“War or peace in 1964? What is it to be?” This question was discussed by Rotarian Surman at the Rotary Club’s weekly luncheon on Tuesday. The speaker said the Allies entered the 1914-18 war with tinprofessed object of making the world safe for democracy. They certainly won the war. but failed in 1919 to lay the basis of lasting peace. The reason was that they were content with isolating and endeavouring to eliminate the immediate cause of a particular outbreak of disease, but did not bother to investigate the basic condition which made it possible for the war to occur. Not Another Versailles So far as the nresent war is concerned, there must not be another Versailles to follow the Allies’ victory. The war must not be fought all over again in 1964. “If. the peace that succeeds this war is not to sow the seeds of another, we shall need a settlement different from any other ever made. It must be a settlement that includes neutrals, Germans and Japanese and tackles the causes of war.” It was an urgent necessity that deliberate steps be taken in the meantime to sway public opinion in this direction if we ’were not to lapse into mere hatred and desire for revenge. The only hope of lasting peace lay in the substitution of international law for international anarchy, involving' considerable "giving” on the part of the larger Powers. They must be prepared to give freely for the benefit of the world. They must be prepared to sacrifice some of their sovereign rights. Tolerant goodwill must take the place of fanatical patriotism. Only by sane international government with power to enforce international laws could the world be made safe and free—safe from fanatical Hitlers and free for all peoples to enjoy what has been so bountifully provided for them. Divine Aid There were those who said: “But that is an impossible dream unless God will change the hearts of all peoples and give them the desire for- one big Brotherhood of Men.” “Do you not think,” asked Rotarian Surman, “that the divine way is for us to be up and doing to help ourselves with His assistance? “Many thousands of deep-thinking people, particularly throughout the Eng-lish-speaking world today, are advocating Federal Union of Nations as the only solution. It has not only beefi tried and proved in its organisation and machinery, but has every chance of success. If any better scheme is produced subscribers to Federal Union will be the very first to back it up.” International Government It was contended that a similar type of organisation would be workable in International Government. The following would be the indispensable minimum of functions at present under the control of national States to be handed over to the organs of a world community: (1) Foreign Doliey; (2) pooling of all armed forces; (3) economic relations between States; (4) operations now controlled by international finance and by national finance operating abroad; (5) control of colonies not yet fit to govern themselves; (6) international communications; (7) control of currency; (8) movements of populations; (9) development of world public opinion.