MR. DOIDGE STRESSES NEED FOR PACIFIC PACT

Wanganui Chronicle, 25 October 1950, Page 5

MR. DOIDGE STRESSES NEED FOR PACIFIC PACT

Fear Lest Japan Rise Again WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 (Rec. 6 pm).—A Pacific pact was a natural! corollary of the North Atlantic Pact, |; said Mi. F. W. Doidge, New Zealand; Minister of External Affairs, today. I “It is not much sense shutting the front door and leaving the back door j wide open, but while we feel a Pa-1-cific Pact is desirable, it would be ofi no value unless it had the support of the United States and Canada,” he | said. Mr. Doidge said he had been heartened by the interest of American statesmen in the question. He said' he hoped Britain would be able to' make an announcement within the next week or two about American co-I operation with a British Commonwealth plan for aid to Asia. He believed Mr Hugh Gaitskell, British ;; Chancellor of the Exchequer, would disclose the details of lhe Commonwealth economic aid plan early in 1 , November. ■’. ‘lt is my hope that at that time he will make an announcement about. American co-operation," said .Mr. | Doidge. Mr. Gaitskell discussed 4 he plan I ' with American officials, said Mr.lt Doidge. As lhe plan had now been i extended to Asian countries outside : the Commonwealth it would need 1 1 more than the resources of the Com-1 mon wealth to make it a success. From I j the talks he had had with President I < Truman and the United States Secre-I tary of State (Mr. Acheson) he had m no doubt about America’s sympathetic I < interest. ’ |<

In discussing talks of a peace treaty with Japan, Mr. Doidge said New Zealand was naturally fearful of the possibility of a resurgence of Japanese military strength. “There must be a burning spirit of resentment in the Japanese,” he said. , “There *s a possibility that there is I also a spirit of vengeance. There I should be some safeguards to ensure [that the Japanese militarists are not [ again given a chance to run free.” [ The Minister said he had expressed that viewpoint in talks with Mr. Ache- | son and the Republican fore/gn policy | adviser to the State Department, Mr. ! John Foster Dulles. i Mr. Doidge will leave Washington I for San Francisco on Wednesday. Mr. Doidge Has Talks With President Truman PARLIAMENT BLDGS, Last Night (PA). —Detailed discussions were held yesterday between the President of the United States, Mr. Truman, and ! the Secretary of State, Mr. Dean ! Acheson, and the Minister of External [Affairs, Mr. Doidge, states a message released today by the External Affairs Depart menr. | Mr. Doidge arrived in Washington ' last Sunday night. The discussions I hold were on matters of common concern for both countries. Sir Carl Berendsen, the New Zealand Ambassador, accompanied Mr. Doidge at the talks. | Yestei*»ay afternoon, following a I press conference, Mr. Doidge had discussions with lhe British and Austra- ! lian Ambassadors. He was Io inspect the Embassy and other New Zealand I Government offices in Washington toI day.