SOVIET RUSSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23857, 11 July 1939, Page 10

SOVIET RUSSIA

"ARCH-FOE OF CIVILISATION" OPPOSITION TO DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE ARCHBISHOP O'SHEA'S OPINION (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 10. Russia was the arch-foe of civilisation and democracy, said the Most Reverend Thomas O'Shea. Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand, referring to the proposed alliance between Great Britain, France and Kiijsia, during an address to the Wellington branch of the League of Nations Union to-night on his observations in Europe. His Grace, who said his comments were given as his personal views for what they were worth, remarked on the danger of dictatorships arising among people impoverished by money power, which he described as thp " super Government."

Optimistic About War

Europe was very unsettled and some people thought there would be war. said his Grace, but he was more optimistic and did not think there would be war for a while. One reason was that the time was too soon after the last war, and too many people had sad memories of it. Another reason was that there was going to be a very large exhibition in Rome in 1942, and perhaps the very fact that that was going to be held would restrain the authorities.

He had heard a lot of talk in England about the alliance between Russia. France and England, but there was tremendous opposition to it. He was afraid the powers in England and France were rather panicky, fearing, perhaps, an alliance between Hitler 3nd Stalin and wanting to keep Russia neutral. Russia had not a good name; there was no doubt she was the archfoe of civilisation and democracy, and she had not changed from the time of the Czars. She had done a tremendous amount of harm in Europe and France, and her aim was a world revolution. Many prominent people thought she would like to get Europe into a war which would end in a revolution and give her her chance. Many people. His Grace said, seemed to forget about Poland. Poland was one of the 1 most powerful countries. She had as many people as France, and had been preparing for many years since she had been united and had been given her liberty. The Poles had a magnificent army. They were magnificent soldiers, having twice saved Europe from the barbarians. Italians Friendly His Grace said he thought the Italians would like to make friends with Great Britain. As the result of misunderstandings and through the Left Wing in England there had been a vendetta against Italy. Italy was the source of England's civilisation, and Italians would much rather be with England than against England. "There is an uneasy feeling in Europe and America about money power," His Grace said. He had been told by a very distinguished statesman that there was worry about it. It could cause wars. Both in England and America there was a fear that it would lead to a dictatorship. They were afraid the people would get disgusted at the unequal distribution of wealth. It was a dictatorship caused by money power that caused the ruin of democracy in Ancient Rome, although that was not explained in orthodox histories. There one was told that Julius Ceasar was assassinated because he destroyed liberty, but it was done by b?nkers. Brutus was a banker.

There were people in the United States of America who thought that Roosevelt would become a dictator before long, and they pointed to the great number of unemployed in the country. It was because so many people were down and out that dictatorship came to Germany and Italy. Unfortunately France was unsympathetic to Germany at that time, refusing to help to stave it off. His Grace concluded by saying that arms were not the only way to bring about peace. Nations must confer. His interest in the League of Nations was not one jot abated, and he hoped the principles of the League would triumph.