TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20246, 15 July 1937, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

No Fear of Aggression

Mr Bingham, the American ambassador, in a speech recently, said: “We of the United States and of the British Commonwealth of Nations have the most precious heritage among all the nations of this earth —a heritage of freedom, a right of the individual to order and justice —and I believe that a tremendous and valuable contribution to the poace of the world has been made by the British Empire and ourselves patiently rearming.

“ The British nation and ourselves patiently, sincerely, and earnestly sought to bring other nations of the world in the pathway of peace. We did it so sincerely that we did it not only by precept but by example. They would not listen to us. While we waited and hoped and laboured, they built up these great armaments. For what?

“No nation requires bombing aeroplanes, great mobile artillery, and heavy tanks unless they intend to plunder and murder their neighbours. We of my country and British Commonwealth, realising that argument, suasion, and example have all been in vain, have determined that we must protect our own.

“All that is being done here and all that is being done in my country is absolutely defensive. No nation on the earth has any reason to apprehend or to fear aggression from the British or the citizens of the United States. We seek peace, we seek amity, we seek friendly relations with the peoples of the earth, and that is as it should be, lmt we who have the most priceless, and most precious heritage of all nations are determined that we will hold our own.

“ Therefore, those who contribute to that co-operation and that understanding between those two great democracies are serving England and are serving the United States. I say it with all reverence that because they are serving the cause of peace they are serving the God of Peace.