“FOOL’S PARADISE.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 197, 20 August 1931, Page 7

“FOOL’S PARADISE.”

Peace is Not Possible, says Speaker. EUROPE’S DARK HOUR. That Germany might withdraw from the League of Nations and possibly have a revolution, were points stressed by Mr R. M. Laing in an address to the League of Nations Union last evening, on “ Present Dangers to European Peace.’ Although war appeared to be well hedged in by paper ramparts such as the Locarno Pact and the Kellogg Pact, said Mr Laing, people were living in a fool’s paradise if they imagined that such things were sufficient. It j was not possible to have perfect peace when only thirteen years ago millions were engaged in war. At present Europe was seething with the old hatre.ds. There were ten chief dangers in Europe, any one of which might lead to war: the peace treaties, which contained the seeds of war; the economic situation; jingoistic nationalism; the minorities question; boundary disputes; the increase in armaments; the recrudescence of the theory of the balance of power; dissension and revolution in States such as Germany and Spain; extra-European dangers; hatred, fear and distrust. “ In a Blue Funk.” Mr Laing reviewed the conditions of the various European States at the present time. France, he said, did not want war, but desired the Versailles Treaty to be unaltered, so that she could be secure to enjoy her gains. She believed in the balance of power, and thought her security was based on the hegemony of Europe which she possessed. She had an army of between four and five millions, was stronger than Germany, and yet was in a “ blue funk.” Italy, said Mr Laing, was reaching out for allies to offset France’s balance of power. Mussolini had indulged in a lot of sabre-rattling, but his bark was worse than bite. He knew that Italy’s credit was so poor that she could not make war against any nation. The Balkan States were still in a turmoil, and Hungary, which had been most severely treated after the peace, still harboured a desire for revenge. Worst of All. The case of Germany, however, was the saddest of all, said Mr Laing. At present her Government was held together only by pressure from without. The crushing burden of reparations had resulted in the formation of societies such as the Stahlhelm, the Reichsbanner and the Nazis. Any one of these might precipitate a revolution. The Germans were sick of the burden of reparations, and called the League of Nations the “ milking machine,” for obvious reasons. There was a distinct possibility that they might withdraw from the League. The economic situation in Germany, brought about by reparations of astronomical proportions, was another serious danger. Germany, it was stated, would have 7,000,000 unemployed next winter, and masses near the hunger line were always open to propaganda. It was clear that there must be a revision of war debts. A Solution. All these factors in Europe had had peculiar results, Mr Laing said. There was the recrudescence of revolution, the rise of dictators and the ill-treat-ment of minorities. The nations were spending £800,000,000 on armaments yearly. The solution to the present situation would probably be found in the World Disarmament Conference which would take place in February r 1932, at Geneva. Sixty nations would be represented by 4000 delegates. “If the conference fails,” said Mr Laing, “ Europe will be heading for war.” An immediate result would be Germany demanding the right to re-arm, and probably withdrawing from the League of Nations.