BITTER LESSON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23470, 6 October 1939, Page 8

BITTER LESSON

NAZI PROMISES ( SECURITY ESSENTIAL SMALLER NATIONS' FEARS . BURDEN OF ARMAMENTS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright British Wireless LONDON, Oct. 4 The Foreign Minister, "Viscount Halifax, speaking in the House of Lords, referred to rumours of German peace proposals. He said he had no intimation whether this supposition was or was not. well founded. Still less could he anticipate the nature of such proposals. There wore three points to be considered in any peace proposals: — (1) The conditions under which they were offered. (2) The Government by which they were put forward. (,'}) The security which might lie held to he attached to any agreement which might conceivably lie reached. No Negotiation Under Threat As to the conditions, it had already been indicated that proposals might be put forward under a veiled threat. I There was no more perilous proceeding than io negotiate under threat of ! force, and certainly neither Britain nor France would be parties to that. As for the Government of Germany, he would only say that Britain had very bitter experience of its character and methods and as to its assurances. Britain had seen the rulers of Germany repudiate successive international documents which they had signed, and throw aside the principles for long years proclaimed. Assurances from the present German Government were not enough. If and when proposals were received they would be examined with care and measured against the principles for which the Allies had taken up arms. Lord Halifax said he did not rule out the suggestion that that might be a possible and desirable opportunity for some reasoned statement of the position adopted by Britain. Britain Willing in Past Britain had been ready and anxious in the past to join hands with others, including Germany, in world reconstruction. Britain had, repeatedly stated her willingness to make any contribution to that end, through which benefits could bo brought to*, peoples of all nations alike, but it was impossible to begin unless there was security and unless nations were released from perpetual fear of attack by Germany and the constant necessity of maintaining inflated armaments for defence.