PROBLEMS OF PEACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25940, 5 September 1945, Page 5

PROBLEMS OF PEACE

NEW WORLD ORDER SECURITY FOR NATIONS LESSON FROM THE WAR LONDON. Sept. 3. “Yesterday the Japanese, the last one of our enemies, whose ambitions plunged the world into so much bloodshed and misery, signed the surrender terms. Thus Japan’s long course of imperialistic military aggression ended,” said Mr Attlee in a broadcast to-day. “We should again acknowledge' the debt we owe the men of our own country, from the dominions, India, and the colonies, and from the United States, who, fighting not only against a ruthless and barbarous enemy, but against appalling natural conditions, brought about this great event. To the men of the army, navy, and air force we pay tribute, but perhaps at this time we should express our intense satisfaction that, at long last, the ordeal of the Chinese people has terminated.

“ Japanese action in Manchuria started the train of events which culminated in the World War. Failure to deal with this first breach of the peace destroyed the authority of the League of Nations, in which the generation which fought the first World War put their faith. The lesson that peace is indivisible and can only be preserved by resolute maintenance of the rule of law throughout the world, should have been learnt in 1918. The world after then experienced a second World War more grievous than the first. The lesson that was not learnt in 1918 must be learnt to-day. Vicissitudes of War “ Six years ago to-day the sirens first sounded in London. We have since then known all the vicissitudes of war. The British Commonwealth, from start to finish, has been in the war and has taken its full share in every continent. We may well be proud of the efforts of our men and women at home, in the dominions, in India, and the colonies. At no time, when things were darkest has there been any failure of resolution, any whimper in the face of loss. . “We are now emerging from those six years of waste—for from the viewpoint of progress and civilisation war is nothing but waste. It is true that the darkness and destruction have been illuminated by many examples of magnificent courage and selfless devoexhibition of national unity. We have demonstrated to the world what is the strength of the free peoples, but against this we must set terrible losses. We lost many of the finest of our youth, whom we can ill spare. There is not only the private grief which desolates many homes, but the public loss of irreplaceable human beings We are suffering to-day from the loss of those who died in 1914-18, and we assuredly in future will feel the lack of those who perished that civilisation might continue. We have won a great victory. We can share wholeheartedly in the' triumph with the dominions and our allies, and we need yield pride of place to none in length of our endurance and the severity of the trials we encountered and overcame; in the extent to which we put at the service of humanity our resources. New Conception of Society But our triumph will be empty and short-hved if we do not take to heart the lessons which our suffering has taught and the heavy responsibility that victory entails. We have seen the garnered fruits of years of toil destroyed and dispersed in a few years. Unless we can set on the other side gains in the progress of the human spirit and in the growth oi a new conception of human society, those losses will be in vain.

“To-day, more than ever before, looking back on the six years of waste and carnage, we should pledge ourselves anew to build up a world order in which all nations may dwell in security. The development of weapons of immense destructiveness, culminating in the release of the atomic bomb, has made this matter not merely desirable. but vital for the future of civilisation.

It will be our task in the closest association with other nations to seek to establish a world order in which war shall be for ever banished Our rejoicing must be tempered with a full realisation of the gravity of the problems that confront us in the era now open.

“ This is no time for relaxation, tempting as this is after years of strain. I recognise to the full how weary are those who have borne the labour and heat of the day, but in any race it is the last lap that counts, and before we can rest there is much to be done.”

BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT? REBUILDING EUROPE LARGE FORCES REQUIRED LONDON, Sept. 3. “ I want to make plain to you some of the responsibilities we must shoulder," said Mr Attlee. “It is natural that all of us desire the return as soon as possible of men in the armed iorces. The Government is resolved to do its utmost, but I have never encouraged you to think that the end of hostilities would mean the immediate release of all the men and women in the armed forces. While conditions are so unsettled in Europe, we must continue to find large forces for the British occupation zone in Germany. The most difficult period oi occupation is likely to be the coming winter, when inevitable shortages oi food and fuel and raw materials will be disturbing. We must take our share in establishing conditions in Europe which will allow reconstruction without violence. We have commitments in South-east Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. “ These responsibilities fell on us as the victor. Our sole endeavour is to enable the will of the people to prevail. to assist in the establishment everywhere of Governments resting on popular consent. It is a difficult, perhaps a thankless, task, but we have to per orm it. There are. too, obligations in the East. We have to see the establishment of order in Burma and parts of the British Commonwealth which were over-run by the Japanese, and in which peaceful administration can only be restored by the support, if necessary, of armed force. Garrisons to be Maintained “The occupation of Japan and the restoration of the territories of ourselves and our Allies will need substantial forces for some time to come. We must also maintain the presenttime garrisons of the vital fortresses along the network of our sea and air communications. There is, in addition, the responsibility of the Royal Navy for the tasks of clearing mines and the salvage and disposal of wrecks, and there are heavy commitments for the emergency transport of men and supplies which will be difficult to meet with the depleted world shipping. “ Thus the maintenance of adequate sea, air, and ground forces is vitally necessary if we are to fulfil our obligations to our Allies, and if we are to see that what is won in the war is not lost in the immediate post-war period. “ One of the prime difficulties of the situation after the last war was the inability of the Powers who won to provide the necessary forces for the prevention of violent action by sectional interests pending completion of negotiations for world peace. We must not fail the world. We fought for democracy. We must ensure that conditions for its exercise exist. “All this reacts on our situation here to-day. We planned for the possible continuance of the Japanese war for some months. The fact that it ended before anticipated means adjustment, but such adjustment cannot be effected in a moment. The return of our men to civil life is, of course, helped by this event, but the full effects will not be realised immediately. Shortage of Man-power “A detailed statement on demobilisation will be made soon. Some recent statements have been too optimistic. Nevertheless, men and women are already being released from the forces twice as fast as last month, and an average of 45,000 a week will be discharged for the rest of the year. I ask all men and women who may have to stay to do routine duty for some time yet to be patient. We will release you as soon as possible, but do not be apprehensive that you will be kept longer than is absolutely necessary. We are desperately short of man-power. To meet the continuing needs of the services, men aged between 18 and 30 are being called up, unless urgently needed as key men in the vital work of reconstruction. In particular, we are calling up those now being released from the munitions industries. “To restore employment in civilian and export manufacture, and in nonmanufacturing industries, and to bring our services to the 1939 pre-war level, we require an increase of about 5.000.000 workers. There need be no doubt, therefore, that there is ample room for absorbing the maximum number that can be released from the forces.

“A review of military requirements is being pursued with all speed. We have to consult the dominions and our Allies, and also to bear in mind transport facilities. Workers and managements must improvise as they did during the war if we are to avoid unnecessary suffering on the one hand and hold our own in the world on the other.

“We fought a great fight. We gave our all for victory, and over all the hardships and dangers the future may hold by co-operation of people and Government Britain will triumph.”