CURBING THE WAR SPIRIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21938, 23 October 1934, Page 8

CURBING THE WAR SPIRIT

Sir John Simon has rendered a service to the world in contrasting the assassination of Marseilles with that of Serajevo, and showing that such events are now much less likely to precipitate conflict than 20 years ago. He admits that one of the first reactions of the murder of the King of Yugoslavia was anxiety lest the crime was a portent of new and grave trouble in Europe. This anxiety was felt the world over by millions who know nothing of the under-currents of international politics. Serajevo and the calamity it brought in its train are still so near that people instinctively fear the worst when anything that can be called an affront to national honour occurs in what used to be described as the powder magazine of Europe. Possibly a worse potential danger to peace was the murder of Dr. Dollfuss. Nazi Germany might have dared to force her rule on Austria on that occasion had other Continental Powers not been ready to stand for Austrian independence. To peace-loving Britons at home and abroad the whole situation of the Continent is rather bewildering. The arming and the occasional utterances of defiance seem to be a survival of a more primitive past. But because of the spirit they represent Britain and the Empire must consider risks and must be ready to guard against what Sir John Simon calls the antiquated method of blood-letting as a cure for national fever. The British nations may take credit that they have quite outlived the danger" of this fever. Other nations not so immune have reason for thankfulness that the conscience of civilisation and the existence of the League of Nations makes it much more difficult for the war spirit to break loose. Whatever the failures of the League have been there has unquestionably been a marked advance toward reason in international relations. Force is still worshipped in some countries. Despotic rule cannot survive without reliance on force, and it naturally follows that the idea must dominate the external view. Nevertheless, the forces, nf, reason are gathering power. Only the insane and the desperate can imagine that war can mean anything but loss to all concerned. It may require years for the League of Nations to devise a plan of disarmament with security, but there is no doubt that some progress has been made toward the ideal. Sceptics may argue that new kinds of armament have in themselves induced new caution, but if that were all the outlook would be bleak indeed.