MEANING OF WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21579, 25 August 1933, Page 14

MEANING OF WAR

CAUSES AND RESULTS LEAGUE OF NATIONS ADDRESS A critical analysis of the causes of war, tho impulses that carry it on and the steps that are necessary to provent it, was given by Mr. O. E. Burton speaking on "What War Means," at the monthly luncheon of tho Auckland branch of the League of Nations Union, held in Milne and Choycc's Reception Hall yesterday. Analysing tho incentives that lead"to war, Mr. Burton said self-preserva-tion was tho most potent cause, even on tho part of tho attacker. Desire for dominion and power, for selfexpression and for wealth all played a part. The natural impulse of the attacked was violently to resist, so that both sides frequently thought they were fighting for self-preservation. Once the fury of the conflict had commenced, the baser passions were released. There was a drop in the accepted standards of civilisation and the value of human life diminished. Nevertheless war called out some of the highest and finest finalities in men, but left nothing constructive. They were called forth solely in the interests of destruction. One of the chief difficulties in the way of peace was the tremendous attraction of war. Mr. Burton said his greatest trouble in the case of another war would be to see his regiment leaving and know that he was not going to share the tremendous drama with them.

It was very diilicult for a people to say that if they could not have a thing without going to war they would do without. But) before war could bo impossible it would be necessary to go further and say they would not go to war even if their lives were threatened.