European Developments

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19890, 18 March 1939, Page 18

European Developments

Sir,—Last week Sir Samuel Hoare, speaking in bis electorate, mocked the peoples of Spain, China and Czechoslovakia by referring to the unity and invulnerability of the democracies. To-day headlines mock Sir Samuel as Hitler, strengthened toy the National Government’s policy of betrayal, pushes forward with his plans for a Central European war bloc under German hegemony. So fundamental a unity is there between the great democracies that not so long ago Mr. Chamberlain, was able to present to Herr Hitler Europe’s greatest armament works, and defences essential .to the security of France. A queer .sort of unity, this, to oppose to the warmakers. In actual fact, .the only ground on which the democracies are as yet united is the desire to deflect the Fascist war drive to the East, not to outlaw war altogether. Nor can the capitalist democracies do otherwise. In every capitalist, country production is carried on solely for profit, and the greater part of the profit is devoted to increasing capital resources. Hence in none of these countries is it possible for the consuming public to absorb the whole production of consumers’ goods; foreign markets must be found. But since foreign markets are now all monopolised by one or other of the imperialist nations, and moreover are themselves entering into the competition, war among capitalist powers is inevitable. That is why the capitalist democracies make no real attack on war; in so doing they would be attacking capitalism. That too is why, alone of all the great democracies, the Soviet Union can pursue a real peace policy. There the whole means of production being ! the property of tihe whole people, the I problem of’ a surplus, unsaleable m- : ternally, does not arise and foreign markets supply only those goodis which cannot be produced in sufficient quantities at home. The difference between Russia and the other democracies then can toe summed up _ as ; follows: Russia regard's the foreign | market as a source of supplies, for i payment of which, as a regrettable 1 necessity, goods must toe exported. ! Capitalist democracies find overseas an 1 outlet for a surplus unsaleable at

home, for which, unfortunately, some goods must be imported. So that today we find the Governments of even the countries that stand to lose by a war unable to make any real effort for peace; all they can do, all they are doing, tis to .try to direct the next great war against the one nation 'that can never need to enter a war of aggression. It seems, however, that they may fail even in this; present indications arc that Hitler, deterred by the might of the workers’ democracy, and encouraged by the continual concessions and .self-weakening of the capitalist democracies, is turning his war drive to the west. Thus is Mr. Chamberlain repaid for his policy of retreat apd betrayal. R. GILBERD.