Mr. Doidge Emphasises That The Western Nations Must Become Strong To Resist Communism

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 September 1950, Page 5

Mr. Doidge Emphasises That The Western Nations Must Become Strong To Resist Communism

PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, Last Night (PA)—The Minister of External Affairs (Mr. Doidge), speaking in the debate on the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives tonight, reviewed the present state of tension in the world. He mentioned, among other matters, the need for prompt rearmament of the Western nations to indicate to the world that aggressive force would be met with force, and stressed the implications of the atom bomb in the setup as it existed today. He doubted whether the Western nations still were the sole possessors of the secret, of the atom bomb, but they had the bigger stockpile.

Mr. Doidge, emphasising the wisdom of New Zealand promptly providing armed resistance for the United Nations in Korea, said that New Zealand dare not refuse offers of help for the nations of South-East Asia. If New Zealand did refuse, it was at her own peril. Mr Doidge said he was leaving next week for London to attend several Commonwealth conferences and later he hoped to attend for a short period a meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations at Lake Success. Mr Parry (Opp., Arch Hill): A swan song. Mr Doidge said his function as Minister of External'Affairs was to study information on international affairs which came from many sources, and he wished tonight to survey some of the aspects of that information and conclusions which could be drawn from it. Fear and an obsession that ths world was on the verge of another war were widespread today, and the trend was unquestionably towards another war, just as it was in the years 1936-39. In his view there was only one way. to prevail against those who in their madness would involve us in another war, and that was by demonstrating that force would be met bysuperior force. “That can be done if the democratic countries prepare without further delay," said Mr Doidge. Mr Churchill, during the recent memorable debate in*the House; of Commons, had shown that Russia had an army of 175 divisions, of which one-third were mechanised. She had 25,000 tanks and 19,000 aircraft; also a considerable force of submarines. Russia could throw this armed might against, the West, which had only 12 active divisions and 5000 aircraft. Out front-line strength was less than in 1939. Our need was to prepare without delay and to take our decisions in unity. It was impossible to magnify the present dangers; if logic could not lead us to inescapable conclusions, analogies should do so. The current situation was similar to that in 1939. Human rights were being trampled underfoot; individuals were being subordinated to the State; secret police were replacing the secret ballot, and totalitarianism was advancing at the expense of democracy. Today history was repeating itself with the world divided into two irreconcilable camps, which were in open conflict at some points, and at tension everywhere. There were evident the same attempts as in the 1930’s to embroil the democracies against one another; the sam e application of pressure and shifting of pressure when resistance hardened in one direction; the same fifth column activities. There was, however, one striking difference between the situation today and that in 1939, ar.d that was the existence of the atom bomb. “So long as wo held a monopoly of it we felt secure,” he said. “We feel that its very existence would deter aggression, but do we still have a monopoly of it today?" Answering a question by Mr Parry as to whether the democracies had a monopoly of the atom bomb, Mr Doidge replied that evidence recently heard by the External Affairs Committee suggested the answer was “no.” However, the Western nations still held th e advantage of a superior stockpile of atom bombs. KOREA CENTRE OF INTEREST Mr Doidge said the present chief centre of interest was in Korea, and all would agree that Communist aggression in Korea was an assault not only on South Korea but also on the fundamental principles on which the United Nations Organisation was based. There was only one thing that the United Nations could do, and that was to act quickly and decisively. The Security Council, in the case of Korea, had fulfilled its obligations and its action was supported by almost every member of the United Nations. We could take pride in the quick answer New Zealand gave to the United Nations appeal by sending frigates and raising additional assistance in the form of combat ground forces. The New Zealand Government would give its firm support to the United Nations and would do so to the maximum of the country’s resources and commitments. It would be dangerous complacency to imagine that what was happening in Korea today could not be repeated. Communists had been probing for a long time in the Asiatic region, and it was noticeable that those nations which had but recently achieved national independence had been affected. Those Asiatic countries were ill-equipped w withstand any attack and Communists were exploiting them to the fullest possible extent. Communist imperialism was the danger in th e world today, and was an even greater menace than Communism and threatened the existence of China and Korea. Indo-China was wracked by a Communist-inspired war. Tibet, Malaya and Burma — none of 'them knew what their tale was to be. Vast changes in China were caus'ng the deepest interest and concern the world over. An alliance between China and the Soviet held implications of the deepest and most far-reaching significance for NewZealand and every nation in the world. COTI’IVNIST SUCCESS IN CHINA The success of Communists in Chian had given Soviet imperialism just. Jhe chance it haul been waiting fbr. Chinas neighbours were weak and vulnerable and could now expect campaigns of violence and terror to re- i ceive greater assistance. We in New; Zealand realised that changes must be made in the new nations of Asia. It l might be found that self-government.

. was granted too soon to some of those I countries, which were unready and i immature to control their own destinies. The evenis in Korea indicated (that the Communists had no intention to permit changes to take place peace- | fully, but New Zealand, in concert i with other member countries of the United Nations, would do all in its : power to ensure that the integrity of

those nations was respected. j It was necessary to give some j thought t 0 the instability of Southi east Asia. Mr Doidge said that conditions there provided a breeding j ground for Communism, and unless we could do something to lift the living conditions of the people Communism would engulf and sweep right through Asia. “We dare not hold back an offer to ; help,” said Mr Doidge. “If we do so we do it at our own peril. There must ; be actions as well as words. ’’ ; While New Zealand eyes, in thv : main, were fixed on the Far East, the j Middle East and Europe were still of vital importance. To the British ! Commonwealth the use of the Suez Canal and the Middle East airfields : were vital. Without them New Zealand and Australia would be virtually isolated from Britain and the Middle East, also the greatest source of oil outside the United States. It was fo: I these reasons that New Zealanders 1 fought in the Middle East in two world wars. In Europe, just after the first worlwar, it was difficult to distinguish between victor and vanquished, so to- | day the victor nations in the West ; were ill-equipped, both internally and 1 externally, to meet conditions created > by the Soviet Union, which Was de'terI mined to dominate Europe, as she had ! brutally demonstrated in the past five ■ years. The pressure, tension and 'anxiety created by Soviet tactics would continue until Western Europe i could achieve economic nnd military ■ security. x Mr. Doidge said the democracies could escape only through strength, not through weakness. The Atlantic Pact and the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation wendoing much to strengthen Europe militarily and economically, with the backing of the United States and Canada. The results already had been encouraging. Inflationary pressures had eased and the output of goods and services today was higher than pre-war and, above all, Communism had lost ground since the recovery programmes were launched. SCHUMAN PLAN The Schuman Plan had presented Britain with a problem of trying to integrate her role in the Commonwealth with her interests in Europe. One fear was that her abstention from the plan might enable Germany to dominate the new organisation. Germany itself presented dangerous problems with the East oh the verge of adopting one-party Government, with the west under a right wing Government, and with 150,000 police in the East who would undoubtedly act as Communist stooges in a civil war that would occur if the Western Powers withdrew their occupation forces. Referring to the Pacific P.act, Mr. Doidge said he alone advocated it at the Colombo conference in January, but he had said it would be » source of weakness, not of strength, if the United States did not participate. His own view today, and he thought it was the Government’s view, was that a Pacific Pact was less necessary six months ago, because of what was hapI pening in Korea. The United States was ,he thought, now in the Pacific as a permanent partner. Future events in the Pacific would be of importance to the United States. On the quetsion of recognition of Communist China, the United Nations j had been almost wrecked, but New i Zealand, for once, not following the I United Kingdom lead, had felt that support must be given those countries still tightihg for their independence. Britain thought recognition would enable her to give consular recognition to her immense Interests in China, but she had been rebuffed and the Communist Government bad had the insolence to dictate the terms or which she would accept recognition. It was still an involved question, said Mr. Doidge, but he felt the United ■ States and France were now less J likely than a few months ago to give I recognition, and it was almost certain I that Communist China would go on ; knocking at the door for admission to ! the United Nations. ' New Zealand was keenly interested in an early peace treaty with Japan, because of the risks involved in a re- , surgence of Japan's economic and military strength, but an approach tc i peace with Japan must rest mainly ' with American initiative, because, since the war. we had recognised : Japan as primarily a responsibility of i the united States. ; Mr. Doidge continued; “It is my beI lief we will get that lead quite soon, i It may be one subject tve will discuss . in London next week.’’ I Referring to Indonesian claims on ' New Guinea, Mr. Doidge said Dutch New Guinea was ot Immense import- ' ance to Australia and New Zealand , To Australia it was important for .reasons of contiguity and security, and what affected Australia affected I us ", . ; “We feel Australia is right m being . diplomatically firm In opposition to Indonesia's ambitious claims," said Mr. Do'ctge “We feci New Guinea’s future lies with the Pacific rather than with South-East Asin." In view of Indonesia’s claims to not only Dutch New Guinea, but the whole of that area, Austral'a, in the opinion of the New Zealand Government, was right in saying “n"" te those claims. If the Dutch should fine, it necessary to rel'nquish their position in New Guinea, the issue should go before the United Nations. Il would he interesting to sec what would happen there. Summing up, Mr. Doidge said the wh-le world situation taught us the need for firm preparedness, '"here were no ivory towers left in this troubled world. Isolationism was dead

and Russian imperialism was insatiable and implaccable. The Soviet used Communism as its spearhead, seeking, by devious means, to create a spirit of non-resistance and defeatism. A peace petition circulating throughout the world, had originated in the Soviet, and had been signed by millions of faithful Communists and millions of guillible non-Cnmmunists. Mr. Clyde Carr (Opp., Timaru): It was started in Norway wasn’t it? Mr. Doidge: It was unquestionably Inspired by the Kreml’n. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Fraser): Just another Soviet weapon. Mr. Doidge said the Soviet’s supported peace campaign was in ill accord with the aggressive war in Korea. Mr. Nash (Opp., Hutt): They could achieve it all in the United Nations omororw if they had the will. Mr. Doidge said we faced a power r undamentaliy expansionist and the best way to win a battle was to demmstrate that we did not intend to 'ose it. COMPULSORY TRAINING New Zealand, in the present situation, must defend herself and the erritories for which she is responsible. To do this we had introduced compulsory military training, and were re-equipping the armed services. We had obligations as well as privieges as a member of the British Commonwealth, and we also had new obligations to the United Nations to join, as we already had done, in <orea in conceited efforts against aggression. Mr. Carr said there could be no criticism by any right-thinking per;on of the speech by the Minister of External Affairs In our approach to oreign affairs and problems he agreed that all parly differences should be sunk. He hoped that spirit would guide the Minister when he visited London, and that he would achieve all he iiacl in his heart. Mr. Carr said that on the basis •vorkod out at the Colombo Conference New Zealand’s share of monetary aid for South-East Asia was £400,000, spread over three years, or about £120.00 a year. It was an insignificant 130,000 wh'ch had been placed on the estimates this year for the training of technical aid down to the foreman level. Mr. Doidge: That is all we are being asked for this year. Mr Carr said he hoped Now Zealand would offer greater aid in succeed inyears. He agreed with the suggestion by the member for Dunedin Cenirel that the Government should send two Parliamentarians to Korea to observe events there. Mr Carr said that an international taxation commission should be set up, under the United Nations Organisation. That commission would tax the rich nations tc help the poor nat ons. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment at 10.30 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. .tomorrow.