PEACE, WAR AND DISARMAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 11 April 1934, Page 3

PEACE, WAR AND DISARMAMENT

THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION LABOUR PARTY'S PROPAGANDA The policy of the New Zealand Labour Party regarding war, peace, and disarmament was discussed at the annual conference, and the following resolutions wege carried (reports the Christchurch “Press”):— “This conference views with grave disquiet the steady drift of the international situation towards, war; the continued failure of governments to check developments in this direction ; the 'expressed determination of many governments to retain and to strengthen their armaments; and the New Zealand Government's vote this year of £750,000 for naval and military armaments. This policy, if not checked, makes war a certainty. We, therefore, place on record the fact that the workers of New Zealand have, no quarrel with the workers of any other country, and as tlie only democratic organisation of any importance and strength within the Dominion, this conference of the New Zealand Labour party urges upon its brandies, trades unions, other labour bodies, and all organisations desiring the peace of the world, the necessity of nation-wide propaganda for the 'following purposes : (1) To counter those tendencies in the present social system which predispose large sections of the population to respond readily to a war appeal. (2) To stress the acuteness of the danger of war. (3) To warn the people of the appalling nature of the modern methods of warfare and their results. (4) To draw attention to imperialist and capitalist rivalries as direct causes of war.

(5) To educate the public in the corrupt influences exerted by armament firms over governments for warlike purposes. (o) Generally to deepen resistance among the people to all policies which provoke the spirit of hostility. In association with the Ixihour movement throughout the British Commonwealth and other parts of the world, to create an organisation with power to prevent vat like preparations and their disas11.ms conseijiienees, and to strengthen ail movements ' aiming at peace and understanding, and at the transformation of society in line with co-opera-tion and service to humanity, based on the socialisation of the means of production. distribution, and exchange; and the delegates record their conviction that war can he abolished only by a transformation of the economic system into one which will organise •and develop the resources of each country so that they may he utilised to give a just standard of living to all who render social service, with exchange of surplus commodities by each country according to its respective needs.