FORCES BEING FORMED BY BRITISH COMMONWEALTH WILL STOP WAR

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 October 1948, Page 5

FORCES BEING FORMED BY BRITISH COMMONWEALTH WILL STOP WAR

Secretary's Belief That World Will Respond To Growing Strength

LONDON, Oct. 28 (Rec. 5.30 pm).—“Forces which will prevent aggression are being formed a’nd Commonwealth countries are giving tremendous reinforcement to a movement by which I believe war can be prevented and peace established,” said Mr. Noel-Baker. Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, speaking at the Rotary Club.

He added that he believed the new self-governing countries would make the Commonwealth more powerful, more respected and important than in bygone times.

The Commonwealth countries worked together on fundamental questions, having the same broad conception and the same line of policy, and the world had begun to understand it. Parliamentary Government was one of the great ties binding the Commonwealth together. Mr Noel Baker, referring to meetings of Dominion Prime Ministers, said: “It was not their purpose to reach joint decisions on the matters they discussed but I venture the opinion that the importance of the meetings was as great as their formalism was small. Prime Ministers reviewed questions on which the destiny of mankind depends, and their deliberations will affect decisions made by their home Governments

“I think the conception embodied in the Charter of the United Nations is also the essence of the Commonwealth. I believe that with our new Dominions we can put the fear of war between Asia and the West right behind us.”