MR FRASER AT SAN FRANCISCO

Southland Times, Issue 25717, 6 July 1945, Page 4

MR FRASER AT SAN FRANCISCO

PUBLIC APPRECIATION OF WORK

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 5. Public appreciation of the work of the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, at the San Francisco Conference was reflected by the presence of about 2500 people at a civic reception given by the Mayor, Mr J. A. C. Allum, in the Town Hall tonight. Mr Fraser was roundly cheered as he took his place on the stage and congratulatory speeches by the Mayor and the Minister of Supply, Mr Sullivan, were warmly applauded. There was more applause at intervals during the Prime Minister s reply- ~ Members of the City Council, the Legislature and the judiciary, representatives of the services, churches and Consular Corps and others representing Government departments, local bodies political parties and the trade union movement were among the 600 specially invited guests. There were also many elderly people, for whom special accommodation had been provided. Speaking for nearly three-quarters of an hour, Mr Fraser devoted most of his time to discussing the work of the conference. He spoke earnestly and expressively, and left no doubt as to the importance he attached to its deliberations and results. He also paid tributes ,to the work of the late President Roosevelt and Mr John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia. MR FRASER’S PRESTIGE

The Minister of Supply, Mr Sullivan, said the Prime Minister returned to New Zealand with a prestige unexcelled by any other leader who had attended the historic conference. He had revealed a capacity for international statesmanship and _ practical knowledge and idealism united with practical wisdom that had enabled him to make a tremendously useful contribution to the conference’s work in forging that great new international Charter. It was the hope, as well as the prayer of all humanity that there would never be a recurrence of war.

The Prime Minister was given a sustained ovation on rising to speak ana was unable to proceed for several minutes. One could not speak of that conference without making reference to the passing of Mr Roosevelt, said Mr Fraser. His greatness as a leader had not only been shown in the war, but had been known to the world in the days of the depression which had embraced America before the war. Mr Roosevelt had declared at that time, that the troubles causing the depression were man made and could be remedied by the action of men. When the war came he was responsible for that most generous gesture in inaugurating LendLease. Mr Fraser said he had found at the San Francisco Conference, among all the represented nations, a unanimous feeling of regret that the man who had inspired the convention of the conference more than anyone else was not there to open it with one of those wonderful speeches of his. “As is the case,” continued Mr Fraser, “with, everybody who contributes to the advancement and freedom of mankind, the spirit of Mr Roosevelt was present at the conference.” Mention of the objects set forth in that Charter, continued Mr Fraser, reminded him of what a gentleman had erroneously said recently. “He said that the war was fought to keep things as they are,” said Mr Fraser. “The millions of soldiers who died did not understand that to be so. We fought for democracy, for progress and freedom and not for stagnation. (Loud applause). RACIAL HATRED “If in this country, or in any other country, the spirit of animosity and hatred against any race raises its head, that would be a triumph of Nazism or Fascism, although they have been stamped out in Germany,” declared Mr Fraser with great emphasis and amid applause. “I say that because it is easy to stir the feelings which ended in the cruelties and concentration camps in Germany. I speak that as a word of warning. lam glad that in both the Atlantic Charter and the San Francisco Charter that racial discrimination is not to be allowed to grow in our countries.” Quoting from the clauses of both charters, Mr Fraser said he revelled in the realization that there was a unanimous provision to save the existing and succeeding generations from the courge of war and that their terms reaffirmed faith in freedom and the dignity of human rights and that mankind would have nothing to fear because of race, sex, creed or nationality.

“That is what 50 nations of the world have agreed upon and signed,” continued Mr Fraser. “When Mr C. A. Berendsen and I signed that document on behalf of New Zealand we did so believing every word of it. When the Parliament of New Zealand ratifies it that will make us, as a nation, parties to an. international agreement, and we shall be pledged as a nation to uphold these principles. “I hope that nowhere will any section of the community or any individual make any attack upon any of our people, and particularly on strangers in our midst to whom we have given refuge,” said Mr Fraser, amid further applause.