Stalin Should Drop Idea That Britain Will Turn Communist

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 January 1948, Page 5

Stalin Should Drop Idea That Britain Will Turn Communist

London, Jan. 25. Speaking in the debate on Foreign Affairs in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee) said that Stalin should give up the idea that Britain would turn Communist. Britons resolutely opposed the Communist way of life, and the police State was utterly repugnant to the western nations. It had to be recognised that Communism was a dynamic force and a fanatical movement enlisting people of a certain type of mir.J or in a certain condition of society. “IN THE POLICE VAN” “Those people who deny human rights have not the right to claim they are in the van of human progress,’ 'he said. “The only van they are in is the police van. Russia in the field of human rights is right at the back end of the queue.” The Communists sought to force their creed on other nations. It strongly appealed to backward people who had never known anything better. The satellite countries and the Communist parties In other States obeyed orders. There was just one party line; there was no room for thought or for other views. They were required to bless one day what they cursed the day before. Mr Attlee continued: “I don’t know how people can oppose the Marshall Plan when there is nothing to put in its place, unless they are prepared to march to a realisation of their ideas through the death and starvation of millions. “It is no use talking about war; on the other hand, there is no good in shutting one’s eyes to its possibility. I don't believe war to be imminent, but I do believe we must use our greatest exertions to do away with the causes of war and prevent war arising.” REST NOT EXCLUDED Mr. Bevin’s suggestion of a unitea Europe did not exclude the rest of the world. It was to Mr. Bevin’s Initiative in seizing on the Marshall speech that the integration of 16 nations had started. “There is no quarrel between Russia and Britain, but we are not prepared to accept Communism,” said Mr. Attlee. Answering Mr. Churchill, Mr Attlee said the decision to scrap the reserve warships had been taken on the Admiralty’s best technical advice. Their scrapping did not materially weaken Britain's strength. The essence of democracy was toleration, he added. “We want to see the world containing a number of diversifying views as compared with the Communist world, in which they have tried to make Bulgaria and Yugoslavia little copies of Russia.” He wanted to see all countries embracing der -ratic socialism, because he believed i; was a counter to Russian Communism, but it was not socialist policy to force socialism on other nations.