A NATION'S NEEDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22627, 15 January 1937, Page 13

A NATION'S NEEDS

Sir, —In your leader of Tuesday with the above title, in which you criticise Dr. Maude Hoyden's speech in America, you make remarks which, J respectfully submit, deserve the criticism which you ascribe to her. In reference to certain nations cherishing plans of war you ask "What are others to do? Hand them what they want whether they need it. or not? That would be no guarantee of peace." It looks as though you assume they do not need, for you proceed to say that handing to them "would merely put a premium on international brigandage." Now the fact is that these nations have needs, very real needs, and to pass them off as does your article is to fall into the mistake that you attribute to Dr. Rovden —7a prejudiced treatment of facts." It is a fact, that Hritish, American, French, Dutch and Portuguese are in possession of far more than one share of the resources of the earth, and conquest by war has been one of our methods of obtaining them. These other industrial nations are desperately in need of their share, and we ought to recognise our obvious duty. It was tacitly acknowledged in Sir Samuel Hoare's statement at Geneva last year, to the effect that Britain was prepared to meet at the round table the representatives of the industrial nations of the world with a view to a better distribution of raw materials and mandated territories. I submit that that was the wisest word spoken • for world peace since the war. But no action has followed—only more armaments to defend our vast possessions. This attitude of sharing might not guarantee peace but it would tend in that direction more than anything else. It would open the way for a new confidence in the advocacy of progressive disarmament. We ought to be careful about appropriating the title of "just and righteous nation" until we have done something more practical" to correct some of the injustices und£r which some of the other nations suffer to-day, and whose cries we have not heeded so seriously until they made themselves militarily powerful. F. P. Blamirks.