PLEDGE OF YOUTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24736, 13 October 1941, Page 6

PLEDGE OF YOUTH

A DESTRUCTION OF NAZISM REBUILDING THE NEW WORLD (Rec. 8 p.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 11. A youth .rally for victory at which 20 nations were represented took place in London to-day. Messages from the King and Mr Churchill were read at the opening conference, which was performed by the Minister of Labour, Mr Emest Bevin. "The task laid upon us at tnis moment," Mr Bevin said, "is to see this war through to a successful and victorious conclusion in the interests of the younger generation and those who come after them. If we are to have peace we must accept collective responsibility for its maintenance for it is clear that people cannot buy their safety. Money cannot obtain it, and none of the old devices will secure peace for future generations. It must be fought for and won now and then put upon such a firm foundation that no one' will dare to challenge the power of free peoples. " It is the part of the moment then to slay the dragon," he said. "It will be yours to rebuild and shape the new world. We shall be satisfied if in our day we can say we never faltered or for a moment hesitated in our resistance to this mighty military machine of our enemy, that we have led our people in such a way that final destruction was brought .upon him, and that out of the travail we have planned a new highway of opportunity for rising generations to explore and tread. " This war has broken down many of the obstacles that divided the peoples,' Mr Bevin continued, "and I am certain that it is going to remove national and racial barriers that have divided humanity so much in the past. There will spring from it methods of organisation which will provide for the cultural, religious, and political freedom of mankind and produce a great economic unity. That is the real new order'that is going to be forged by this war." At the conclusion of the rally a declaration of purpose was announced to the youth of the world. A declaration was made to protect the world from the curse of Nazism and Fascism. and it concluded: "United we will work, pray, and fight for victory. We pledge ourselves to fight on together until victory is won." Messages were read i from the Archbishop of York, the Prime Ministers of Poland and Greece, and the Ambassadors of Russia and China. M. Maisky himself was present at the rally.