A World Peace BalloT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22540, 3 October 1936, Page 6 (Supplement)

A World Peace BalloT

Women Delegates' Campaign

AUSTRALIAN delegates to the Peace Campaign Congress being held at Brussels are pressing for a world peace ballot and a People's League of Nations as the best means of obtaining permanent harmony among the nations, says an Australian correspondent writing recently from London. The Australian delegation has the distinction of being tho only one to submit a proposal endorsed by its Government, the others being non-official, but representative of a strong section of national thought. Many well-known Australian women at present in Europe will attend the conference as delegates. The delegates number four thousand from all walks of life —housewives, business women, authors, doctors, factory hands and peasants —over half of them women, and they are meeting in the Brussels Palais Ducentenaire for the International Peace Campaign for an International Peace Congress, to give it the full title. _ . , The peace crusade is meeting in the face of a very warlike Europe. Russia has reduced the conscript age; Germany has doubled the size of her army; France plans to keep conscripts under arms for the third year. Everywhere there are increased military commitments in the national budgets, and armament firms are working at top speed. But 4000 voices from many countries will raise the cry of peace in the armed camp of Europe. Delegates are attending from all countries except Germany and Italy. The Australian delegation is the only one to submit official proposals, the principal of which are for a world peace ballot and the formation of a people's league of nations. The English delegates are supporting these.