WORLD CO-OPERATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22723, 8 May 1937, Page 23

WORLD CO-OPERATION

ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE CHOICE BEFORE NATIONS PENWOMEN'S CLUB ADDRESS The story of the sevsn Maori war canoes, which will distinguish Auckland ,at New Zealand's coming centenary celebrations and which are being built by Princess Te Puea, was told yesterday afternoon at the Penwomen s Club, when * the Princess spoke briefly through an interpreter, Mr. Alexander McKay. The lecturer for the afternoon was Mr. H. R. Rodwell, of Auckland University College, who took as his subject "The Inter-dependent World." "It is at times like this that we should see exactly where we are going," the speaker remarked, in showing how, out of the idea of democracy, arose the conception of national difference which was so unfortunate. It had led us to think in terms of nationality instead of world order, and to-day Europe was relapsing into a kind of polytheism, worshipping a motley crowd of local deities. ? Valuable Work of League "Even within the Empire, we cannot be self-sufficient," tho speaker said, "We have built up standards of living which require for their fulfilment outside resources. On the other hand, in many cases wc produce more than we neetl " This position it was impossible to change without distressing and unnecessary economic upheaval. Germany, which was built up on the assumption of her freedom to receive and to sell, was to-day almost strangled economically, since sho was unable to do either. Nationalism, and with it the breakdown of economic inter-dependence, i could not last. There must either be a change back to freer days, or war, arid the people in the world to-day had the choice of these alternatives. The League of Nations had not failed, Mr. Rodwell said. Its machinery was on the right lines, and moreover it had done excellent work in such matters as the battle against disease, the drug traffic and slavery It had not worked economically because the nations had not supplied tho necessary good-will. Scientists and Teachers "We cannot keep nations in a condition of subservience," the speaker said "The only solution is to cooperate. No single nation pursuing a policy of isolation can remain civilised —the result is almost inevitably a relapse into barbarism. Civilisation arises from cultural contacts, and the insistence on race purity and a separate nationalism is bound to fail. "No country will commit race «u» cide —she will fight first. If we buy the goods of Japan, she w r ill develop culturally, her people will be happy, and we ourselves will gain. Why should we have a world conflict for which there is no need?" asked the speaker, who also suggested as a practical plan more international meetings of scientists and teachers.

Songs were given during the afternoon by Mrs. John Owen, the accompanist being Mrs. W. H. McKinney. Mrs. F. Carr Rollett, presided over the gathering.