HOPE OF PEACE

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21590, 28 November 1941, Page 2

HOPE OF PEACE

AIMS OF AUSTRALIA VIEWS OF MINISTER FIGHTING AGGRESSION | United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright > CANBERRA, Nov. 27 In a speech on the international ] situation, the Minister of External I Affairs, Dr. H. V. Evatt, in the House l of Representatives, said Australia j aimed to preserve peace in the Pacific if it could be achieved without sacrifice of principle, without prejudice to national security and without endangering the solidarity j of the democratic Powers. Dr. Evatt said he saw no reason why it should not be possible for .Japan to withdraw her forces from Indo-China, thus rendering it possible to ease the present economic restrictions; but all this, he, said would be of no avail if aggression ’ii one quarter were to be succeeded by aggression elsewhere. Britain | could not look on with equanimity if Japanese forces attacked Russia, . or if the pressure against China were redoubled. j Dr. Evatt revealed that in the democratic sphere the Commonwealth Government was considering I the despatch of a small delegation 'to Russia, but said its departure : would be deferred due to Russia’s i intense concentration on her task of I defeating the Germans. | The Government was conferring | full consular rank on its representaj tive at Dilli, in Portuguese Timor. I The Minister said Timor must be : regarded as one of the main points lof entry into the Commonwealth. ! “We cannot regard with equanimity j any development threatening the in- ! tegrity of this part of the Portuguese j Empire,” he added. Agreement With Netherlands ! Dr. Evatt said the Government had also reached an agreement in principle with the Netherlands Government which would give Australia adequate representation in the Netherlands East Indies, and also lead to the appointment of a Dutch Minister to Canberra. The Government was also considering the appointment of a Consul-General in the Argentine. Referring to the talks between America and Japan, Dr. Evatt said the Australian Government was content to allow the leadership and initiative in these discussions to be retained by the United States. He hoped the talks would result in an agreement and that a new chapter would commence in the relationship between the leading Pacific Powers. Dr. Evatt expressed surprise that, while the British Empire was an ally of Russia in the fight against Germany, it was still at peace with Germany’s three eager satellites and accomplices in Finland, Hungary and Rumania. He thought strong and decisive action against these coun- • ries was the only commonsense aethod of preventing the deteriora- | tion of diplomatic and political relations. Dr. Evatt emphasised, that the recent change in the Australian Government did not involve any vital change in the war policy.