“THE PHANTOM OF WAR”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26596, 20 October 1947, Page 5

“THE PHANTOM OF WAR”

MR STAUN’S ASSURANCE Rec. 8.30 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 18. Economic collaboration between Eastern and Western Europe would “ chase away the phantom of war,” Mr Stalin told the British Labour House of Commons members who visited him at Sochi, on the Black Sea, this week. This was disclosed yesterday, when the members arrived in Poland after visiting the Soviet Union, says the Warsaw correspondent of the Daily Herald. They had a two-hour interview with Mr Stalin, who declared it was a necessity for Britain and the Western nations to collaborate economically with the Soviet Union and “ popular democratic countries.” Mr Stalin also told them the Soviet Union did not want the iron curtain, which “will.not exist if we unite our efforts for reconstruction.” Mr K. Zilliacus, a member of the party, quoted Mr Stalin as saying: “ Just as the Soviet Union has always stood for an improvement of political and economic relations with all countries, so it now stands for such improvement, beginning with the United States and Britain. If these countries wish to improve their relations with the Soviet Union, they will be'welcomed. Co-operation between countries having different systems is possible; that has already been proved by experience. If, however, they do not want to improve their relations with the Soviet Union, we shall have to do without them. We shall, nevertheless, be able to carry on.”

ABOLITION BY ECONOMIC COLLABORATION