Evening star., 1939-12-20
Argues for Peace \
Through Negotiation
Writer Says United Stotes
Should Help With Money
To the Editor Of The Star:


Halifax, foreign secretary, had flayed
Lords Arnold Gaborite) and Darnley
CONSERVATIVE because they had en-
couraged a debate in Parliament in favor
of an appeal for peace by negotiation as
outlined by Queen Wilhelmina of the
Netherlands and King Leopold of Bel
gium last month gives some indication
of disagreement between the die-hards
who want to continue the war and the
sages who want negotiated peace now
that the warning factions have struck
stalemate at the international chess
board.
Recently in another parliamentary de-
bate Lord Halifax had aSsailed the more
thoughtful Lords Arnold and Darnley
when they suggested that the British
government might negotiate peace At
that time Lord Arnold had attacked the
Versailles treaty, declaring that "the
peace Of 1918 was no real peace but only
the beginning of another war" Lord
Darnley had added that throughout
history, war has failed to redress griev-
ances. War has always done more harm
than good"
Yesterdays cables relate that Lord
Arnold had pointed out that the British
Administrations policy of fight to the
finish" is wrong. He expressed the be-
lief that the only victor of fight to a
finish would be Communist Russia and,
possibly, Communist Germany.
lover all will be the dark shadow Of
Communist Russia, possibly also Com
munist Germany" was the way Lord
Arnold expressed it. And then he added
that his government has never really
taken the offer of mediation seriously"
| Lord Darnley was quoted as having
insisted that the only way out of the
difficulty is to inform Holland, Belgium
or some other neutral Of our readiness
to enter free and uncompromised nego-
tiations"
Based on the assumption that atheism.
espoused by both Communist Russia and
communized Germany, would spread
rapidly through Central and Western
Europe and possibly through Asia and
Africa, thus displacing Christianity, it
would appear that Lords Arnold and
Darnley have given the English people
something to think about.
Here now is an opportunity for Lord
Churchill to reverse himself in his con-
tention that "all will come right il we
persevere to the end" reversal in his
trend of thought in the present war pol
icy would not or should not be contra
wise to the usual national thought Of
the English people. Though aware Of
the fact that the English people are Of
one opinion when their country and its
dominions are in danger, one does not
lose sight of the fact that the English
are great moralstS.
For centuries they have lived the in
spiration handed down to them through
sermons, stories and songs that they are
the chosen people whose mission 1t was
to go forth into the world and as
agents of moral progress cast their
Christian influence upon all peoples.
Gladstone, the English liberal, expressed
it this way: ITO this great empire Provi-
dence has entrusted mission and q
special function" Knowing these things,
it is believed that the English people
would welcome change Of attitude on
the part of their more belligerent min
listers.
OF course, any move by English states
men toward an uncompromising nego-
tiated peace would depend upon the
friendly attitudes of all the other Eu-
ropean parties. If called upon to assist
in the completion of arrangements for
joint peace conference, the United
States could send a committee for that
purpose. The claims of the German
Italian, Czech, Polish and other smaller
countries involved in the present con-
flict would be heard Hitler has said
that Germany desires the return Of her
original territory lost by the treaty Of
Versailles in World War 1; she wants an
outlet through the Polish Corridor to
the Baltic Sea and the right Of free
trade to other countries. Mussolini has
said that Italy wants particularly free
access through the Mediterranean Sea
and the Suez Canal and the right to
hold whatever lands she has taken Of
late. Stain has not been included, for
the simple reason that he has not set
forth, except by diplomatic representa-
ton and then through aggression, to
Finland, demands for protective naval
and coastal defense bases on that SOIL
England and France claim prior rights to
| the Suez Canal, and, according to Italy's
Duce, they have been charging excessive
rates for passage through the canal.
With her expansion to Africa Italy feels
she should be allowed to use the canal
in the same manner as does England and
France, gratis. It may be easier for
England and France to grant Italy's
wish than Germany's because Of the op-
| position of leaders Of the former re-
publics OF Austria, Czecho- -Slovakia and
Poland.
With leaders Of the conquered" re-
publics clamoring for the return Of their
states to their pre-war normal status,
and with the refusal Of German leaders
to back down and give up what she has
gained through the World War II, dele
gates at the peace conference would be
stalemated as badly as are the European
leaders today. But at peace parley
there would be at least one advantage,
in that the most formidably armed
powers would be the ruling factor in the
decisions which are to be made. In that
case, Germany, Russia, Italy, England
and France would stand out as the most
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