ATLANTIC CHARTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25306, 17 August 1943, Page 2

ATLANTIC CHARTER

ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS The political and economic aspects of the Atlantic Charter were discussed by Mr W. Downie Stewart in an address to the Otago branch of the League ot Nations Union last night. Mr Stewart, who commented briefly on the meaning and application of the historic document agreed to by Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt in August, 1941, explained the difficulties which the practical application of some of the eight clauses would present to the United Nations at the end of the war. The meeting, which was well attended, was presided over by Dr G. C. Billing. Mr Stewart said that the fourth and fifth points in the charter, which dealt with economic or social problems, had given rise to much controversy and some alarm. At first glance they implied the adoption of free trade to achieve full cooperation between all nations, which would mean a complete reversal of the national policy, not only of New Zealand, but of all the countries of the Empire. After discussing the various implications of the clauses Mr Stewart said that if world trade was to be increased it would be only by step by step negotiations, ana not by sudden reversals of long-standing national policies. The charter, however, demonstrated that the democracies could co-operate heartily with Communist Russia, and it brought the Empire and America closer together than they had been since 1775. Churchill and Roosevelt had, in effec... formed an Anglo-American alliance for victory and peace. _____