’Some Of East Europeans Have Good Intentions'

Northern Advocate, 18 February 1949, Page 6

’Some Of East Europeans Have Good Intentions'

WELLINGTON, Fri. (P.A.) .—During the course of discussion on the Charter of Human Rights in the United Nations Assembly, certain countries that had adopted Communism proposed that the charter should embody the right of Governments to suppress those who differed from them even to the extent of obliteration. This was stated by the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) at the opening today of the Dominion conference of the United Nations Association.

The Prime Minister added that when the delegates of' democratic countries recovered from the shock and horrer of the realisation of what had been put forward, they would not give it a moment’s countenance.

"ft is difficult to see how this differing conception of human freedom can ever be reconciled, added Mr Fraser, “but I do not want to say matters are hopeless.” NOT HOPELESS.

The extraordinary part of it was that the proposal, although it would have meant the extinction of human freedom, was put forward quite calmly by the Communist countries, said Mr Fraser.

In the Western Powers he had not seen the slightest wish for aggression or war, continued Mr Fraser. “On the other hand some of the representatives of the Eastern Powers are just as nice people as ourselves and some of them are very brilliant.” he added. “Some of them have good intentions and I am sure that if it were not for a complete misconception on their part of the ideals of democracy, world peace could be assured.” Ninety per cent of the people of Britain wanted the West to protect them, but if it was not for the Western Union and the Atlantic Pact the world might now be seeing the last gasps of western Continental Europe, as distinct from Europe including Britain.

This cleavage of opinion was one of the dangers to the world.

The aim of democratic countries was not to suppress spiritual and intellectual individuality, but to develop it.