APPEAL FOR PEACE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17081, 14 October 1929, Page 7

APPEAL FOR PEACE

AN INSPIRING ADDRESS MACDONALD IN NEW YORK . ANALYSIS OF CQNTEJISATIOXS (EW. Tel,' Copyright—'United Press Assn.) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) NEW YORK, October" 11. The Prime Minister, Mr. MacDonald, m an address before the .Council of F.oroign Relations to-night, made an appeal to mankind to enthrone peace over the wprlcl. Speaking with marked earnestness on what probably will be his last public utterance here on his historic meeting with the President, Air. MacDonald warned h.is hearers that .much remained before the peoples oB all nations would relinquish military, security for political security. He re-emphasised the tact that his negotiations with the United States had been entirely in the open, and took occasion to rebuke a "few voices" which had been charging that an Anglo.-Ameri-caii alliance had been entered into at Washington. Describing his negotiations with Genoral Dawes. .Mr. MacDonald said:

"Everything was conducted in a glass house with no secrecy, and no curtains, and front that day to this our negotiations have been conducted by men who wish to live an open life and have no desire to'pursue a secret one. We have declared that no war can take place between us. "We, have declared more than that, that we cannot conceive any circumstances under which the armed forces of the 'United States and Britain' can come into conflict." The speech was a summing up of his visit, and an analysis of the fruits of his mission. He spoke bluntly at times, and his theme was developed as the enthusiasm of his distinguished audience —one of the,' largest dinner gatherings in Die history of New York—mounted steadily. Speaking of agreements for peace, Mr. MacDonald said: "This is a problem of statesmanship. On one hand you get your moral disarmament sentiment, which is with you. Resolutions that read fair and sound are carried unanimously, but the moment you start to apply them for the purpose of transferring the mentalities of people, from the mentality of military security to the mentality of political security, then the poor statesman is beset by a thousand and one exceedingly intricate, problems."

Mr. MacDonald asked the America', nconlc to show patience while the British changed the furniture of their minds on sea armament. Declaring that Great Britain's navy is Great Britain itself, he said: The sea is Britain's security and its safety, so you will understand how hard it is to get people to feel security if the naval; arm is limited in any way. I put that before you as a nlea for patience, a plea for goodwill. As you will show that patience, so you will contribute to goodwill until we can change the furniture of our mind." The Premier declared: "The spirit of man in coming together is not to divide the world into groups, but to help the world to come'to a general agreement." Mr. MacDonald • said he wanted the world to know that during the entire course of conversations between Mr. Hoover and himself, never a word or a thought was criven to any exclusive understanding between Great Britain and the United States.