Evening star., 1938-11-14
|laski Assai|s,
Lewis Defends
Munich Pa(t
Debate on 'BetroyoI
Of Democracy Is
Heard by 800

ington last night at the Shoreham
Hotel.
Attacking the agreement as 'in-
compatible with the decencies OF
democratic life" Harold J. Laski
London School of Economics pro-
fessor pitted his views against those
of Sir Willmott Lewis, Washington
correspondent of the London Times,
who termed the pact as only a
shadow of peace" but maintained
that it was preferable to another war
which he said would be the real
betrayal of democracy.
Opening the argument before 800
people who packed the hotels west
ballroom, Prof. Laski declared, Il
have no criticism of Mr.. Chamber
lain's sincerity and I do not doubt
that in the difficult and complicated
circumstances he did the best he
could according to his lights, but I
must add the footnote that to me 1t
seemed that his lights seemed to
burn very low
Mere evaluation of the Munich
settlement from its context is i'm
possible, Prof Laski declared.
Long Process of Surrender.
Rather, should look at the Mu-
Mich agreement as the elimination
of long process of surrender going
back to 1881, the climax of the
policy of the British government in
regard to Manchukuo. Further. We
must link it to the virtual abdication
of Great Britain during the Italo-
Abyssinia dispute and to the tragic
comedy of non-intervention in Spain
when it was apparent to any OBJ
server that the Spanish government
was fighting the battle OF European
democracies as we'll as its own"
Condemning Britain's rearma
ment program. Prof. Laski warned
that it would have a disastrous
effect on social services such as
public health. housing and maternal
and child welfare.
Referring to the latest DEGREES Is
sued against Jews in Germany by
the Hitler government. Prof. Laski
said he could not think that either
Sir Wlllmott or Mr.. Chamberlain
could believe that the Germany of
last Thursday. Friday and Saturday
is a people with whom the British
people can make an agreement chat
leads to understanding
Attributing the Munich accord
partly to Britains military unpre-
paredness, Prof. Laski said that Mr.
Chamberlain and his party have
been in control of the government
With sufficient opportunity to carry
out the problem of rearmament.
Heavy Price Paid.
IF they have displayed incompe-
tence' Prof. Laski declared. then
are they fit to be entrusted with
the foreign policy of our government;
at SO critical time?
We have paid a heavy price tor
the choice. price that may De the
end for those things that we nave
priced so dearly for $50 years
Replying to Prof. Laski. Sir WILL
mott opened his argument by saving
there could be no such betrayal cf
democracy as another war.
Democracy. as I understand it,
he declared, lis not system of gov
ernment, but an idea-the idea that
government should exist for the
benefit of free and equal citizens,
united politically in a common pur-
pose; the happiness of each and
all"
Dating the beginnings of modern
democracy with the Declaration of
Independence and the French Revo-
luton, Sir Willmott said these two
events heralded the start of a
growth of a spirit of nationalism.
Cites Lloyd George Warning.
Declaring that the spirit of ma
tionalism called the nations to arms
in the World War and attended the
peace conference at Paris, Sir Will
mott said the peacemakers of Paris
did no more than to prolong the
armistice for 20 years"
Citing the wartime British Prime
Minister Lloyd Georges warning
that to strip Germany of her
colonies, and reduce her armies and
navy would inspire her to find
means of retaliation, Sir Willmott
said this prediction had come true.
These things came to head in
September" he continued. land we
are now told that what would have
been an act of justice to Germany
when she was weak is betrayal and
coWardice when she is strong again"
Defends Diplomacy.
Defending British and French
diplomacy in the recent crisis, Sir
Willmott said, Il believe, and l
ask you to believe. in the face of all
the inferences which partisanship
or political enmity can draw from
the movement of events, that last
September a genuine attempt was
made to defect the movement
toward general war in the direc-
ton of restoration of amity and
peace by negotiation"
Concluding his argument, Sir
Willmott said, yet honesty COM
pels me not to doubt the sincerity
of Mr.. Chamberlain or Mr.. Dali
adler, but to question the capac-
ity Of German leadership to seize
the opportunity which lies to its
hand. Those who hold power in the
Reich for all their occasional ex-
cursions into rhetoric know that
they have no aggression to fear
from the democratic states. But
they should also know that it is
time, and more than time, for some
evidence. from them that they desire
to bring to the world peace and not
sword. They must know that, un-
less and until they are willing, in
frankness and good faith, to ask
for a share of responsibility in the
making of an ordered world, the
democracies must continue to arm.
Even if there should be war, I
should still hold that Munich was
not a betrayal, but a misplaced