“ABSOLUTE NECESSITY”

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 68, Issue 5942, 12 May 1944, Page 3

“ABSOLUTE NECESSITY”

FRIENDSHIP WITH RUSSIA NEED EMPHASISED BY MR F. MILNER The “ absolute necessity ’’ for the complete defeat of Germany and Japan, a permanent alliance between the English-speaking people of the earth, and continued friendship with Russia after the war were emphasised by Mr F. Milner, rector of Waitaki Boys’ High School, in an address to the Workers’ Educational Association in Oamaru. Mr Milner expressed alarm at the recent trend away from Russia indicated in the latest newspapers arriving from America, and particularly the suspicions of certain senators. “ The absolute necessity for the complete defeat of Germany and Japan is realised by the Allied leaders,” said Mr Milner. “We have to win the war and the peace, and we must give the Germans and the Japanese an almighty hiding. It is not generally realised that Germany has staged five wars in eighty years, and every one has been premeditated. The time for sentimentality has gone; we must be realists this time and stop the Germans from staging any comeback. We will have to watch them for 50 years after this war. Their ideal is death in battle for the glory of the nation, and to prevent the resurrection of that ideal it is imperative that we retain our friendship with Russia.

“ There must be a permanent alliance between the English-speaking peoples of the -earth and a friendly understanding with the Russians,” Mr Milner continued, “for all the time the Germans will be trying to drive a wedge between us. They are doing it now in America, and while I do not wish to be an alarmist, I must say that the latest batch of newspapers from America give cause for alarm. They indicate suspicion of Russia, and such statements as ‘ the Russians are not playing the game ’ and ‘ the Russians have turned us down ’ do nothing to cement international friendship. When I read these in a great paper such as the New York Times I could hardly believe that it would print such piffle.” After referring to recent statements by certain United States senators, Mr Milner said it was obvious that the Germans were “ getting their propaganda through ” and the campaign would not end with the war. Mr Roosevelt, he added, was in complete accord with Russia, but that could not be said of the whole Administration. America would ma,ke a great mistake if she did not try to understand Russia, no matter what the domestic political philosophy of that country might be, for only by continuation of Allied Amity could further wars be prevented.