EUROPE TO-DAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20587, 28 November 1936, Page 6

EUROPE TO-DAY

A SPIRIT OF UNREST By Telegraph—Press Association HASTINGS, November 27. “The worst of the economic blizzard has now passed. Clear heads have found a way through,” said Sir James Steel-Maitland, addressing the English Speaking Union in Hastings. “The state of Europe to-day, however, needs just such clear and urgent thinking. The spirit of unrest abroad is mainly in the Continental countries, and wars and rumours of war are too much in evidence. This atmosphere of unrest is much less obvious in Great Britain, where level-headed statesmen realise that the policy of disarmament has to be abandoned, and that it is necessary to re-equip ourselves for defence. Whether we have war or not depends very much on the people s feelings, and it would be to great advantage if the principles of the English-Speaking Union could be brought into being.’* Sir James continued that the American public, however, do not want alliances with Britain. In America very few are internationally minded. Much could be done to further the Union in . the States, and there is a definite idea to weld the people together, to have a feeling of nationality, but it may be many years before the American people, as nationals, realise that they cannot set themselves apart irom others. The British Commonwealth must be able to rely on the produce of the Empire when in trouble. Considerable industries could be opened up in New Zealand, and schemes, well thought out, would obtain British capital to finance them. The suggestion need not be altruistic, because it would benefit New Zealand as well as the Empire. The world must be made to realise that the British ( onunonwealth of Nations stands more closely than ever. This should be a deterrent to war, and a safeguard to peace.