WISE COUNSELS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24255, 25 March 1940, Page 7

WISE COUNSELS

THE BASIS OF PEACE VITAL DEFINITIONS POINTERS FOR .ALLIES ACCEPTABLE CONDITIONS I British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) ~ (By Electric . Telegrahp—Copyright) RUGBY, Mar. 24, (Received Mar. 24, at 8-.piihy);-Under the heading, “ Conditions of Peace,” the Spectator points out that the aims of the Allies are just, practical, moderate and well-known, but it adds: “A disinterested third party may well give a more impartial definition of the principles on which peace, to be enduring, must be based. Two such definitions fortunately are available to-day, emanating from two men who carry greater, weight than any others in the religious and political worlds respectively. One is the Pope and the other is President Roosevelt. Their findings both confirm and /supplement one .another, and Britain and France can accept the whole of them without reserve. “ The Pope ' at Christmas postulated five points: (i) All nations have the right to a life of independence, with re- • paration if it has been impaired. (ii) Peace must be founded on : disarmament mutually accepted, organic and progressive. ' (in) International institutions are necesasry both to defend and, where necessary, revise treaty settlements: (iv) The just demands of ethical minorities must be fairly met. (v) Rulers and peoples alike must be imbued with a 'spirit of moral justice. ■ The Spectator finds the moral basis of peace as laid down by President Roosevelt -last week-end as clear, as compelling and as comprehensive as Pius XIFs postulates, and the journal concludes: “ There is ho word in President Roosevelt’s speech, no syllable in the Pope’s Statement of principles to which this country does hot Subscribe and make its own. By such criteria we must judge the peace plans emanating from any quarter. So far as they fall short we must reject them, state our reasons., and present our alternative.”