PACT WITH RUSSIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19892, 21 March 1939, Page 14

PACT WITH RUSSIA

DOMINIONS HELPLESS PEAGE IN THE PACIFIC "JAPAN WOULD NOT DARE" ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB "Do not forget that Germany, Italy and Japan are partners in trie anticomintern pact, and that they work in harmony. Germany has just made fresh moves in Central Europe. Italy will soon attempt something more in the Mediterranean area, and as soon ay the situation appears favourable, Japan will make a move in her turn. *n tne iace of that threat, Australia and New Zealand are helpless, unless they at once open up communications witll the United States, Russia, and other nations jmerestecl in tne t'aciiie, ior mutual protection. Russian planes could be launched from a point only 600 mile* from Tokio. Japan would not dare to fight, for Tokio could be blown off the face of the earth!" This statement, made by Mr. T. C McGillick in an address to Gisborne Rotarians at the weekly luncheon gathering yesterday, summarised his views upon the essential future development of events in the Pacific. He declared that it was useless for Australia and New Zealand to depend upon Britain, or upon their own resources, for protection against the Fascist States. Britain would have her hands full in Europe, and could send no aid; while if the Dominions increased sixfold their present expenditure upon defence, they still could not hope to face an enemy such as Japan. "Misleading the Public" "Those who go about suggesting that these Dominions must increase their provision for defence are only misleading the public," Mr. McGilhck declared, -it The speaker, who visited Russia last year as one of an Australian delegation of four, and is a prominent trades union representative in the Commonwealth, threw much of the blame for the present- involved internationalsituation upon the shoulders of th<2 Prime Minister of Great Britain, Mr. Neville Chamberlain. He stated that had Mr. Chamberlain and M. Daladier accepted the offer of Russia to support France and Britain in the protection of Czechoslovakia's national integrity, there would have ben no invasion of that country by Germany. Doubts had been cast upon the bona fides of M. Stalin, head of the Russian Soviet States, but he had shown Ins good faith by massing a million and a half Russian troops on the borders of Poland, in readiness to march into Czechoslovakia and engage the Germans, while he had hundreds of military planes also ready to hop over into the threatened country.

Russian Planes in Prague

The fact that many Russian planes had been taken by the Germans on their most recent stride in their programme of occupation of Central Europe proved that a large number emplanes actually had been sent in by „,i. Stalin.

Mr. McGillick argued that the Russian Soviet Government had come into being on a policy of peace for the war-weary nation, and when its advances had been rejected by Britain and France, had concluded a separate treaty of peace with the Central Powers. It was still dedicated to peace and development of its own nation's resources, but not to peace at any price.

The attitude of the Western nalions, however, had been shown when at the 1928 disarmament conference they had refused to support the Russian plan for gradual disarmament by all nations, and an international police force.

Again, when Japan marched into Manchukuo, the League of Nations failed to act in defence of Cnina, and, encouraged by Japan's success, Italy had embarked on the rape of Abyssinia, the Powers then denying support to Article 10 of the League Covenant, which would have applied sanctions against Italy.

Penalties of Non-Co-operation

Was it to be wondered at that Germany had felt secure in planning its conquest of Central Europe? Mr. McGillick asked. The Western nations had refused co-operation with Russia on all occasions, and as a result had seen Britain's trade •communications threatened, by way of the Mediterranean, by Italy's increased strength; and by way of the African ?oast, by tne submarine bases which Germany and Italy had secured as a result of their aid to the Franco forces in Spain.

Only Russia's all-powerful efforts could stop the inarch of conquest, it seemed, and only when the AVcstern nations combined with Russia would Germany have to fear a check.

Instead of uniting with Russia to stop Herr Hitler's march, however, Britain and France had gone behind Russia's back to make, the Munich agreement, which, without even consultation with the Czechoslovak Government, had given Germany the fortified areas and much of the industrial strength of the Czech nation. Mr. Chamberlain had returned tp London and thanked God for "peace in our time." Herr Hitler had gone on to seize Czechoslovakia, and the latest news was that he had presented •an ultimatum to Rumania, demanding her wheat and oil, the latter being essential to the support of his military machine. Germany and Russia It had been hoped in some quarters that Herr Hitler would attack Russia but he would not commit that error. Mr. McGillick stated. He would attack those countries which he knew must depend on the help of Britain and France, or accede to his demands. The policy of Mr. Chamberlain had brought Britain nearer to war than it had been before the Munich pact. Because his policy had enabled the Empire's trade routes to be threatened, and because Britain had engaged in a discussion over the division of Spain, the Dominions in the Pacific could hope for no help from the Mother Country in the event of the third partner to the anti-comintern pact adven--1 taring down the Pacific. Australia and

New Zealand must look after themselves, and the only means to safety for them was a combination of forces with Russia, the United States. Holland and France, these nations all having an interest in the preservation of peace in the Pacific. At. the close of his address. Mr. McGillick. was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Rotarian J. Hutton, who commented that the expression of virile opinion was always worth hearing, and that Mr. McGillick's view as to the results of Mr. Chamberlain's policy were not confined to the opponents of the Conservative Government in Britain. A Pacific League might well have an important bearing on the peace of Ihe world.