BRITAIN'S PEACE EFFORTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23953, 31 October 1939, Page 5

BRITAIN'S PEACE EFFORTS

TO THE EDITOR

• sir,—Ever , since the close of what we called the Great War British foreign policy has been in the interest of peace. The Versailles Treaty was not an ideal peace settlement but present-day. critics forget that those who drew up its various clauses lacked the opportunity to discover how they would work.. English representatives did their; best to diminish the huge indemnity which i France demanded from. Germany, but were over-ruled. England sponsored and took a leading part in the founding of the League of Nations, the formation of which was «n honest attempt to settle mternaitipmil Questions without resorting to

war. That this - laudable ideal was not achieved was hot the fault of England. She could gd no further than the other members , would let her. The same remarks apply just as forcibly to the, disarmament busiriess. England disarmed far more than she should have done; while others hung back, and the result was a fiasco. Public opinion was against war in any shape or form. Peace societies multiplied:- resolutions were passed by some not to “fight for King and country.” All goes to show that, in'statesmen and people alike, the desire for peace predominated. * With what patience England, and France have borne the trickery of the Nazi regime during the last few years is well known to every newspaper reader. A stand had to be made, and a definite course of action decided upon. England and France were called to act. and they have done So, carefully counting the cost, which will be tremendous, and for which there will be no compensation. The Allies obeyed a call, and the whole world acclaims the call and approves the acceptance thereof by England and France. Nothing so unique has ever happened in the history of the world, as certain significant facts will show. India’s many nations pining for selfexpression and governments, stirred with non-co-operative movements, guided by a super , nationalist, stop their agitation, Egypt, but recently hunting British officials, breaks off diplomatic relations with Germany. Iran does likewise, while Turkey 'ranges herself as close as she can to the Allies. Arab and Jew in Palestine, fighting each other and refusing to listen to the suzerain power of England. stop their contentions and declare themselves on England’s side. Roman Catholic Portugal and what is left of Roman Catholic Spain look to England to secure freedom of worship for Roman Catholics in Central Europe. Christian and Jew, Moslem and Hindu pray for the success of the arms of the Allies, and those prayers are backed by the approval of the Governments of two continents. Could anything be more remarkable than this in such a crisis? —I am, etc., C. E. Knight, Evangelist. October 29.