The Maikato Times With which Is Incorporatod Tho Waikato Argus FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1929. AMERICA AND PEACE.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17869, 15 November 1929, Page 6

The Maikato Times With which Is Incorporatod Tho Waikato Argus FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1929. AMERICA AND PEACE.

President Hoover has delivered an Armistice Day address, and as he is one of the rulers of the world who have much to do with the maintenance of peace, his utterances are of much interest. He says that the prospects of peace are’ brighter than at any time for fifty years past, but that it is an armed peace, for the number of men under arms is very much more than before the war. Navies have somewhat diminished, but aircraft has greatly increased- He pointed out that there are fears, distrusts and smouldering injuries among the nations which create the possibility of war, and he said that the disputes about boundaries and racial rights would always be arising. His references to the means to be taken to .prevent war are interesting. He says that Europe has agreed that if nations cannot settle their differences peaceably force should be applied to compel them to refrain from war; but America has refused to travel the road, as she believes that public opinion is sufficient to check violence. He refers to the agreement with Britain for equality in naval strength, and goes on to speak of the freedom of the seas —that is, the right of neutral countries to trade with belligerents. He thinks all interference with food ships should cease. This is the .crucial question that has l<3d to the building of a large American navy. It is difficult to discuss the question in any judicial manner- Britain has relied on the power of her navy to stop overseas trade; America in 1812 protested, and carried her protest to the length of going to war. Yet in 1862, when the American Civil war was in progress, the Federal Government of the North blockaded the ports of the Confederate Government of the South and protested vigorously against the privateers built and fitted out in Britain. They were quite justified in their protests, but they might reflect that their opinions on this question of .tike freedom of the

seas have varied according to whether they were neutrals or combatants. Even now the discussion is always conducted on the assumpiion that Britain might be at war, hut that America could not he. Yet the assumption is quite unwarranted. America lias become a world power, and may well And herself in friction with some of her neighbours. If she did she would use her navy to bar trade between her opponents and the outside world, and her opinions on the freedom of the seas would go back to those she held iij 1864. She does not, however, sec this, and we must And some method of agreeing with her in order to bring about a reduction of navies. The President’s references to the League of Nations seem to be equally inconsistent. He says America will not join the League because she believes public opiniorf will he strong enough to prevent war. He might take the of crime. Civilised people have abandoned the custom of avenging their injuries and look to the courts to provide a remedy. They do not, however, cease to employ police, for although the majority, and generally a large majority, may be law-abiding there are always a few who must be restrained by force. In the same way, though most nations may desire peace, there is always the possibility of some country breaking bounds under strong temptation or strong provocation. If this should take place in some area which affected America what steps could be taken under the “Kellogg” Pact? There is no need to stress the point, for in all probability President IlooVer is perfectly alive to the weakness of the Pact and would appreciate the advantages both for his own country and for the world at large that would be obtained by America joining ihe League. There is, however, no prospect of her doing so until some crisis which affects her takes place. The weight of votes lies with the Middle West, where the bulk of the people with great domestic virtues are wrapped up in their own concerns and dread any contact with the outside world. A hundred and thirty years ago Washington advised the United States, then a young and small nation, to avoid entanglements with Europe. The position has now entirely changed, but the majority have imbibed no new ideas since Washington’s day. One of the dangers to peace lies in the knowledge that any country which dcAcd the League of Nations and went to war might count on obtaining supplies from the United States under the demand for freedom of the seas- If the civilised countries of the world earnestly desired peace—and there is little doubt that they do—they could do much to bring it about by entering into a pact to forbid their nationals to trade with the belligerents or to afford them assistance. Armament Arms and international Ananciers do much to make war possible, and their activities should he strictly restrained-