EFFORT FOR PEACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23341, 5 November 1937, Page 9

EFFORT FOR PEACE

THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE MANY NATIONS REPRESENTED JAPAN REFUSES TO ATTEND (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Nov. 3. The conference on the SinoJapanese dispute was opened at Brussels. M. Spaak presiding over the representatives of 19 nations Mr Norman Davis (America) declared that the hostilities in the Far East were of serious concern, not only to Japan and China, but to the entire world, for peace, once envisaged only by idealists, had become a matter of vital self-interest to every nation. "There should be no place for resort to arms in an orderly, prosperous world." continued Mr Davis. "We are here with a common concern and a common purpose, and our efforts to deal with the situation must be constructive. It is indispensable that an equitable adjustment be found We have corns to this conference with no commitments except those to the treaty provisions and to the principles which the Government of the United States has repeatedly and emphatically affirmed. The Government of the United States is prepared to share in the common effort to devise within the scope of these treaty provisions and principles a means of finding a pacific solution which will provide for terminating the hostilities in the Far East and for restoring peace in that area." Mr Eden said the British Government was in full agreement with every word spoken by Mr Davis. The British Government was prepared to offer the very fullest collaboration to promote the success of the conference. M. Delbos also spoke, and Chinas case was stated by Dr Wellington Koo. M. Litvinoff strongly endorsed Mr Davis's speech. ITALIAN DELEGATE'S VIEW DISCUSSIONS .USELESS LONDON, Nov. 3. M. Spaak said. Japan's refusal to attend made the task of the conference more difficult, but he must emphasise that the conference was not a tribunal before which Japan could • be haled as the culprit. " Our aim, if possible," he said, " is to halt the war and re-establish peace, because I think there is nothing in the world worth going to war for. We should think not only of the soldiers, but also the women and children." M. Delbos declared that there was an imperious need to end the conflict on humanitarian grounds on account of the atrocities piling up in the I ar East. No one was safe from an extension of the conflict. The conference should make an effort to induce China and Japan to lay down their arms and enter into friendly negotiations. The Italian delegate, Count Mareseotti, said the conference could not quarantine Japan. Only the parties concerned in the position could eliminate the underlying causes of the conflict. Discussions were useless in the absence of Japan. Resolutions merely showed the powerlessness of the countries attending conferences. The Fascist Government must make every reservation regarding the results of the conference, which, however amiable in its methods and means, could only end in platonic resolutions and sterility if realities were ignored. The only useful thing the conference could do was to attempt to bring China and Japan into direct contact. • ... , Dr Wellington Koo said: " We desire peace, but know it cannot be obtained in the presence of Japanese aggression. We are determined to continue resistance as long as aggression persists. It is only by accepting peace based on the principles of Article 1 of the Nine-Power Treaty that China, by her tremendous sacrifice, will be contributing to the cause of law and order in the relations between nations."