PEACE OF THE WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 11

PEACE OF THE WORLD.

APPEAL TO MANKIND.

MacDONALD'S MISSION.

IDEALS AND ASPIRATIONS.

Außtralian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received October 12, 6.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 11

The British Prime Minister, Mr. MacDonald, addressed the Council of Foreign Relations this evening. Ho made an appeal to mankind to enthrone peace over the world.

Speaking with marked earnestness about his historic meeting with the President, Mr. Hoover, Mr. Mac Donald, warned his hearers that much remained to be done before the peoples of all the nations would relinquish military security for political security. Ho again emphasised tho fact that his negotiations with tho United States had been entirely in the open, and took occasion to rebuko the few people who had been alleging that a,ii Anglo-American alliance had been entered into at Washington. Describing his negotiations with Mr. C. G. Dawes, United States Ambassador to Britain, Mr. Mac Donald said: "Everything was conducted in a glass house with no secrecy, no curtains and no blinds. From that, day to this our negotiations have been conducted by men who wish to live an open life and have no desire to pursue a secret one. Agreements for Peaco.

"Wo have declared that no war can lake place between us. We have declared more, namely, that we cannot conceive of any circumstances in which tho armed forces of tho United States and Britain can come into conflict."

Mr. Mac Donald's speech was a summing up of his visit and an analysis of tho fruits of his mission. He spoke bluntly at times, and as his theme was developed tho enthusiasm of his distinguished audience —ono of tho largest dinner gatherings in the history of New York —mounted steadily.

Speaking of agreements for peace, Mr. Mac Donald said: " This is a problem of statesmanship. On the ono hand you get your moral disarmament and sentiment is with you. Resolutions that read fair and sound well are carried unanimously, but tho moment tho poor statesman starts to 'apply them for the purpose of transferring the mentalities of the people from a mentality of military security to a mentality of political security then ho is beset by a thousand and one exceedingly intricate problems." „

Plea lor American Patience. Mr. Mac Donald asked the people of America to show patience while Britain " changed the furniture of her mind on sea armament." Britain's Navy was Britain herself. The sea was Britain s security and her safety.

Therefore they would understand how hard it was to get the people of Britain to feel secure if their naval arm was limited in any way. He put that before them, not as his last word, but as a plea for patience and goodwill. As America would show that patience so she would contribute to goodwill. The spirit of the men who were coming together was not to divide the world into groups, but to help the worldS to come to a general agreement.

Pooled Navies Plan Denied. Previously Mr. Mac Donald had told 5000 guests at a luncheon tendered to him by the English-Speaking Union and tlireo English societies that he was an internationalist as well as a patriot. " There is no man who can be an internationalist who does not value nationalism,'' he said. " Knowing and feeling proud of mv country's history I can understand the same feelings and a similar pride in the hearts and minds of those who belong to other nations." A message from Washington says the Secretary of State, Mr. H. L. Stimson, in a formal statement said a moral, not a military, influence was the purpose Messrs. Hoover and Mac Donald had sought in reaching an understanding during their talks. He denied a published statement to the effect that Britain and the United States had in effect agreed to pool their navies to maintain the peace of the world.

Throughout tho conversations there had not been a syllable of such a suggestion. The tenor of the conversations was exactly the reverse. Tho basis of the discussions was the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which aims at outlawing war and all forcible means of compulsion of nations, and which relies wholly upon the public opinion of the world as its sole sanction.

Nothing could have been further from the truth than to suspect that the two nations contemplated any joining or pooling of their navies. No such idea was even broached or discussed.

COMING CONFERENCE.

AMERICAN OPTIMISM.

OTHER POINTS FOR DISCUSSION

British Wireless. RUGBY, Oct. 11. The Note covering the acceptance by the United States Government of Britain's invitation to the Five Powers Naval Conference in London next January expressed the belief that the conference would unite the Powers signatory to the Washington Treaty in a discussion which would anticipate the problems arising out of Article XXI. of the treaty and broaden its entire scope by tho inclusion of other categories of ships. According to newspaper correspondents Mr. Mac Donald in his conversations with Mr. Hoover discussed in a general way the wholo field of Anglo-American relations, from bootlegging to naval bases. Tho Daily Herald says all they did, however, was to decide definitely that every such subject should be made the theme of conversations between the two Governments, those conversations to be carried on in the same way as Messrs. Dawes and Mac Donald discussed the position of cruisers.

Beforo this can be done, however, Mr. Mac Donald, on his return, will take the usual steps and discuss tho matters with tho proper authorities so that Britain's position may bo defined as a preliminary to conversations with the American Ambassador.