NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23124, 24 August 1938, Page 12

NOTES AND COMMENTS

HITLER'S VIEW OF LEAGUE Herr Hitler's view of the League of Nations was quoted in a House of Ixirds debate as follows: —"I quite understand that those interested in this system of justice look upon the League of Nations as a pleasant moral forum for the maintenance, and if possible the defence of their possessions, obtained formerly by force. But I have no understanding for tho fact that ho who has just been burgled by force should now join this illustrious company. We do not belong to the League of Nations because wo are of the opinion that it is not an institution of justice, but rather an organisation for tho defence of the injustices of Versailles." ANGLO-FRENCH ACCORD In a world which is torn with wars and threats of wars, asserts the News Chronicle, in comment on the King's recent visit to France, the AngloFrench accord stands out as a factor making for peace. Based on tho twin principles of democracy and liberty, and devoid of any aggressive intention, it is a relationship which is unlikely to change. Moreover, it is a neighbourly understanding which does not seek to exclude any nation of good will from the priceless benefits of international amity. It is a cheering thought that after centuries of bloodshed and hatred, Britain and Franco could forget an enmity which seemed irreconcilable and become the closest of friends. Who knows what nations now at loggerheads will be exchanging olive branches in. the years to come? GLADSTONE ON DIPLOMACY Gladstone is rarely quoted these days, writes "Scrutator" in tho Sunday Times, but no one has bettor expressed than he one of the indispensable conditions of success in diplomacy. "You may," he said, "you must, sympathise with one nation more than another, and as a rule with those most closely linked by language, blood, religion or other circumstance of tho time. But in point of right all are equal, and you have no right to set up a system under which one is to bo placed under moral suspicion or espionage or made the subject of constant invective. If you do that, and especially if you claim for yourself a "pharisaical superiority, you may talk about your patriotism as you please, but you are a misjudging friend of your country and are undermining the esteem and respect of others for it." The words, "Scrutator" remarks, have gained not lost in value by the lapse of time. BRITAIN'S PEACE POLICY How the British Government was standing as a "bulwark for peace" was explained by the Chancellor of tho Exchequer, Sir John Simon, in a recent speech. "If," he said, "we had followed the advice which has been tendered to us from certain irresponsible quarters during these difficult years, and had yielded to Opposition clamour that wo should on every occasion, and in every part of the world, take a more reckless course, who can say that the result would not have been to increase tho risk of conflict and to have added immeasurably to the calamities of tho world? We have not been content to wring our hands and to wait till the clouds rolled by. We are pursuing an active and positive policy, which seizes every opportunity of getting rid of dangerous- suspicions, of limiting 'the risk of conflict, and of promoting better understanding. That is the meaning of tho Anglo-Italian .Agreement; that is the reason why wo hold by non-inter-vention in Spain. And tho influence of Britain is not weakened by this prudent and sensible course; its authority is strengthened. We have been bound to adopt a vigorous policy of rearmament, but all the world knows that our armaments threaten aggression to nobody. Britain must make herself strong in order that she may be safe. And a strong Britain is tho best of all influences for the cause of peace to-day." ARTFUL DODGERS Present-day relationships between the police and the public was the subject of an address by Canon Paton-Wil-liams, chaplain to tho Manchester Police Force, at the conference of the Chief Constables' Association in Manchester. "There is one aspect of tho relationship of tho police and the public to which I should like to call attention," said the canon. " In tho past tho public could easily be divided into social and anti-social categories—the law-abiding and the law-breaking. Today there is an increasing tendency in tho public for what I would call tho semi-social state. People of this kind do not break tho law; they just bend it. You are considered smart if you can do a bit of twisting. This arises from a general slackening in the sense of moral responsibility. Wo are developing in a section of the public artful dodgers who are sometimes more embarrassing to cope with than fully-fledged ' Fagins. They provide an ever-increasing number of recruits for that section of tho public which I have named tho irresponsibles. A decreasing sense of truth and honesty enables them to take a solemn oath in Court, and then proceed to pilo lie upon lie. As for honesty, in a civilisation which lives on tho assumption that the acme of success in life is to got something for nothing how can we expect tho public to bo honest? I believe the railway companies lose something like 300,000 towels a year—a straw gives you an indication of tho direction of tho current of tho stream. Consequently, it becomes increasingly difficult for tho police to deal with a situation which provides so few facts and such small material to build up a case fit for prosecution. The public must become alivo to this increasing tendency to petty theft. Tho practice of truth and honesty in public relationships is one of the first necessities in co-operative effort between public ntid police. The police are extremely lenient, and the public should not take advantage of that leniency. Looking back over the last 50 years, ono cannot but be impressed by the change which lias come over the relationship of tho police and the public From being looked upon as officials of tho public the police are becoming more and more to bo looked upon as friends of tho public."