AVERTING CATASTROPHE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23517, 4 June 1938, Page 16

AVERTING CATASTROPHE

It Is monstrously absurd to believe that we can convert dictatorial Governments to the pure gospel of democratic liberalism by threatening to bombard their cities, or to invade their territories—even if we had the armies to do so (writes Sir Philip Gibbs in his new book, “Across the Frontiers.” We cannot induce the National Socialists of Germany to lovd the Jews by a naval demonstration in the North Sea, We cannot insist that they should, re-establish their Parliaments and thentrade unions and their free press by any combination of armed democracies. That point of view which seems to be the attitude of militant democrats is grotesque in its vision of realities. There is surely another and better way of upholding democratic ideals and being true to our liberal faith, that is by a policy of appeasement, by the remedy of injustice wherever possible, by a generous spirit in all international relations, and by a refusal to advance along the road to war under the delusion that we are defending liberty, or upholding the ideals of peace.