CLOSER RELATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 7 August 1941, Page 3

CLOSER RELATIONS

NEW ZEALAND AND SOVIET WELLINGTON 31EETING A motion urging the Government to | convey greetings from the people of 1 New Zealand to the people of Russia, | and to express admiration of Russia's j magnificent struggle to help free the j world from Nazi domination, was carj ried at a meeting of Wellington citizens in the Town Hall last night called j by the New Zealand Society for Closer j Relations with Russia. All seating j accommodation was occupied. Flags of the Allied countries were promin- ! enlly displayed, the presence of the Red Flag alongside those of Great Britain, the United States, and others ! exciting considerable interest. Profesi sor W. 11. Gould presided, and the j speakers were the Rev. Percy Paris, jMr C. G. Scrimgeour, and Mr At- ! more, M.P. I Following the singing of the National i Anthem, the “Internationale” was I played, and was greet with an outi hurst of cheering and applause. | His early studies of Russia had yield ! eel the conviction that it was a great j country with a soul, but that its people I were largely enslaved, said Mr Paris. It was the duty of the State to have I made them free, to have given them j the right to work, to think freely, and ! enjoy a fair share of the good things |of life. He had not been surprised, therefore, when the people had revolted. Of some of the things that had happened during and since the revolution he did not approve, said Mr Paris, but he could understand why a tortured people could rise in fury against its torturers. He could understand their reasons for acting against traitors (within their gates, and for being suspicious of their neighbours. He could also find it within him to forgive them for what he might consider grievous faults. The Soviet Union had given ( its people freedom, work, and the right to share in the fruits of their j production. RUSSIANS AS ALLIES | “These people are to-day our allies. | well-equipped, well trained, and well ( led, and they are standing up magnificently against the Nazi war machine. (Applause.) It was because of their magnificent stand that Britain appeared now to be free of an invasion threat. It was because thousands of Russians were layin., down their lives daily that British soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians were breathing a little more freely. He hoped that when victory came Britishers would have the tolerance and gratitude to say that they had partly been saved by the Red Army. (Cheers.) Mr Paris expressed the hope that, representatives of the U.S.S.R. would be present; at the peace conference when victory had been won, because they had not only to win the war, but the peace as well. A just peace could only be achieved by a new revolution in Europe—a revolution that would ensure a change in outlook toward life and in the conduct of the nations, a change in which Russia had given the world a lead. Mr Scrimgeour stressed the tremendous effect of the Russian alliance with Britain in the struggle to overcome Nazi domination. He hoped it would bring an end to the long prevailing intolerant attitude toward Russia which had been based largely on ignorance. Mr At more reviewed the progress of Russia since the revolution and expressed the hope that the representatives of that country would be present to help in building up the new world order when victory had been won. Some people might ask what good purpose could be served by the meeting that night and the movement that had begun in a small countryy like New Zealand which was so far from the centre of things. The answer would be that New Zealand had already led the world in legislation making for better social conditions and in putting Christianity in the Statute Book. A collection was taken during the evening for the prosecution of the work oi the movement.