OUTLINE OF BASIC PRINCIPLES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20673, 11 March 1937, Page 9

OUTLINE OF BASIC PRINCIPLES

FOREIGN MINISTER’S STATEMENT SUPPORT FOR THE RULE OF LAW British Official Wireless (Received March 9, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, March 8. In a speech at Aberdeen, the Foreign Secretary (Mr Anthony Eden) referred to the rearmament programme as a means to an end, and not an end in itself. He said the Government believed it to be an indispensable contribution to peace. It was difficult to watch with patience the nations piling up armaments on an ever-increasing scale, knowing that the ultimate effect of their action must be to react on the standard of living of the peoples. While, therefore, at this time no responsible British Government could do other than ask the nation’s endorsement of the reaamament programme, it was none the less clearly their duty to seize the first opportunity to cut this vicious circle of rising armaments. Stabilising Influences Speaking of the British Commonwealth of Nations as one of the greatest stabilising Influences for peace and progress in the modern world, Mr Eden said it was clear that foreign affairs would be one of the major subjects for discussion at the forthcoming Imperial Conference, and it was impossible to over-estimate the value of a free interchange of views between the Governments of the Commonwealth on these issues, particularly at the present time. It was not possible now to anticipate the course of the discussion, except to say that the United Kingdom Government Intended to lay the facts, as they saw them, fully and frankly before the conference and to endeavour to reach in consultation an agreement on lines of actions which would contribute towards the prosperity of the British Commonwealth and towards the peace of the world. Another great stabilising factor in world influence and authority, which was of evident advantage to mankind as a whole, was the TT nited States of America. When they looked at the troubled state of the world to-day, it was a comforting thought that over the vast area where the United States flag flew, there was a great peaceloving and progressive influence at work.

Mr Eden declared that disturbing as the effect of the recent and present large increases in world armaments mast be to the public mind, these in no sense Justified the acceptance of the inevitability of war. His Majesty’s Government would never subscribe to such fatalism. The influences working for peace were many and varied, and not the least amongst them was the realisation, inescapable for all, of the appalling and immeasurable calamity for victim and vanquished alike which the resort to war Involved. 11l itself that was an important deterrent. Outline of Principles Mr Eden sketched an outline of the principles which, he believed, commended themselves to the-moral sense and common sense of the country. “We are all agreed,” he said, "that the main object of our foreign policy is the pursuit of peace, and while avoiding anything in the nature of provocation, we should not hesitate to speak our minds when we think it right. We are all agreed that in the rearming of the world, this country should have armaments commensurate with its national, imperial and international responsibilities. We are all agreed that peace will only finally be secured by the establishment of international order, which shall substitute the rule of law for the rule of force. We are all agreed that we should co-operate with those who are likeminded, and should make every endeavour to extend the area of co-operation.”