Peace Publicity.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 661, 14 January 1933, Page 8

Peace Publicity.

Dear Sir.—l am delighted that you have opened your columns to the advocacy of the Peace Publicity campaign inaugurated by the Canterbury Advertising Club, and which, I am sure, we all hope will eventuate in due course. Mr Hamilton s letter gives a very concise statement of the aims of this project and he should be congratulated upon having the courage to put forward his ideas and also for his generous money offer for prizes for Peace Posters, etc. If, in times of peace, we prepare for peace we shall not only counter that ridiculous adage, 44 If you wish for peace prepare for war,” but we shall help to produce, especially in the growing generation, a peace psychology which must tell when the war clouds hover overhead. Every minute of the day and night about £I7OO is spent on preparations for the next war, or, as Mr Hamilton says, £900,000,000 per annum! This represents a vast sum invested in armament works all over the world, the shareholders of which are receiving dividends directly from the manufacture of death-dealing instruments. Keeping alive the war spirit is therefore the very life of the armament business, and when war breaks out business is immensely prosperous. It cost £4OOO to kill every soldier lost in the world war! At Geneva and at all conferences held for the purpose of promoting disarmament the armament firms have active representatives whose object is to endeavour to influence the delegates against disarmament, and in times of peace agents travel from country to country in the interests of their respective firms selling armaments and disseminating fear and suspicion wherever possible. War scares are the life blood of the armament trade. Taking all this into consideration surely the expenditure of a few millions, if ne< ]s: s ' sary, in combating such a nefarious traffic would not be begrudged, and there can be no question that the medium of the newspapers is by far the most effective I shall look with anxiety for the launching Of this important UAOnX.