CORRESPONDENCE

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 48, 13 November 1929, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE

(To the Editor) PRECARIOUS PEACE PACTS. Sir, —An incisive study of the temperament of mankind in conjunction with the sinister outlook on international trading, would make it appear that the scattered units comprised in the unique geographical position of the British Empire would be in a most dangerous situation if disarmament is arranged at the peace conferences, and our points of vantage are relinquished. The terrible holocaust of the best manhood of the nations has made the atheists more atheistical in their belief that human beings are almost entirely dominated by egotism, and the feverish lust tor affl lence, and its political advantages. That demoralising idea,

when their passions are roused, will cause the sceptics to be devoid of honour, of mercy, or remorse as exemplified in the callous disregard tor the rights of their neighbours by our German friends whose morality is contaminated by the evil doctrines of their philosopher Nictiche (he became insane) who averred that the morality of the strong being predominant, they would rise as high above the ordinary man of to-dav (the Christian moralists) as the latter is above the beasts. That is the cold blooded unChristian theory of the survival of the fittest. And we know the stupendously appalling results from the frenzied arrogance of the “strong men.” Can we trust the good faith of men whose souls are permeated with a devilish egotistical belief that they are supermen. Only after is definitely understood bv an efficiently armed international federation that, in the event of a treacherous attack by any nation retribution will not cease until that nation has been entirely subjugated. Even then a strong scientific people might find means to secretly prepare immense quantities of poisonous chemicals to distribute from airplanes amongst “ordinary men” weak enough to trust their pledged word. And, if deprived of our strongholds “for defence” our prospects for safety would be nil. As, if all the peaceful nations are disarmed, that autocratic wonder Mussolini will then demand “Malta”; the Egyptians “Suez”; the Arabs “Aden”; the Spaniards “Gibraltar”; the Chinese “Hong Kong”; the Malays “Singapore”; and—the “supermen” restitution of “all their forfeited territory.” Possibly the federation might agree to give us a mandate to hold our strategical positions in trust for the confederation. If not, what valid reason could we offer for refusing their demand.

In my opinion a permanent peace will never eventuate until the great majority of the “fittest” become imbued with the altruistic ideals of duty towards “the weak or the strong”. And that essentially Christian spirit for maintaining the permanence of a harmonious peace, might be attained by earnestly teaching its benevolent tenets to the children of all nations, from their entry to the primary schools to their final exit from the universities if the path leading to international righteousness is not irretrievably obstructed by the deplorably foolish bitterness engendered bv antagonistic religious belief.

Optimism is a delightfully soothing specific for countering the depressing moods of pessimism. But, il applied to the be-

wildering complications of internationalism, it may entangle the unwary in a pitfall of destruction. I am etc. William R. Keay.