W.E.A. SUMMER SCHOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26040, 2 January 1946, Page 3

W.E.A. SUMMER SCHOOL

“ Can Asia be Free? ” was the title of an address given by Mr J. A. Brailsford at the W.E.A. Supimer School. He mentioned the progress towards the liberation of subject peoples, including the Indians and Filipinos, and also the institution of the mandate system of the League of Nations and the development of a federal organisation tor the various peoples of the U.S.S.R. in spite of these advances, he said, the colonial problem had not been tackled in a sufficiently radical way, and it was largely due to rivalry for the colonial wealth of the East Indies that the recent war in the Pacific had broken out. During this war further steps had been taken, including the Cripps offer to India and the relinquishment by the Powers of various privileges and controls in China. At the San Francisco Conference the speaker said the Powers had accepted a clause giving the Trusteeship Council permission to arrange for The inspection of trust territories and their administration. But that was practically all. and the great Imperial Powers were still not answerable to any but themselves for the fulfilment of their sacred trust. Mr Brailsford said that accountability to ah international tribunal seemed to him necessary in the case of all dependent peoples. The same principle should apply to all subject minorities. In this way the problem of India might be settled with justice to the Moslems ns well as to the National Congress. But the minorities of other countries, the negroes of the United States, the various nationalities of the U.S.S.R.. and •he rest were equally entitled to the protection of an imparffal international supervision.