Evening star., 1946-11-10
By the Assoeiotsd Press

LONDON, Mop. 9-Folloiping
is the tert-of the foreign affairs
section OF speech delivered By
Prime Minister Attlee tonight at
the Lord Mayors annual dinner
We accept the logic of events
which accords with our longheld
convictions that in world affairs
as in affairs of individuals we can
gain our own safety and happiness
only by seeking to secure the safety
and happiness of others. The peace
and prosperity of every nation in
the modern world depends on the
realization that the saying that all
men are brothers is a sublime truth
that must be applied in practice.
We have accepted the charter Of
the United Nations, the lofty pre-
amble of which sets the course
which the world must follow If it
is to escape disaster. 1t is our in
tention to use the United Nations
organization, and all the other in
ternational agencies which are
being created \. efficiently and effec-
lively in all fields.
Must Move with Care.
They must be used not merely for
the prevention of war, vital though
that is, but for positive building up
of peaceful cooperation between
nations to eliminate the causes of
war and to destroy the conditions
in which the seeds of war may
grow ...
But this new organization can
not be built in a moment. If we
are prepared gradually to transfer
certain functions of sovereignty
hitherto held to be national to a
larger sovereignty, then We must
move with great care.
Confidence in the organization
must first be developed. The gov
eminent has a, great responsibility
to the people of this country and
to the peoples of the commonwealth
and empire with whom in peace
and war we work so closely.
We cannot relinquish any of
these responsibilities until we are
satisfied that we have achieved a
greater security to replace what
now exists.
Confidence Still Lacking.
I know that we have all felt dis
appointment at the way in which
the organization is being used. In
stead of its proceedings being OBJ
jective and businesslike, there is OBJ
struction, there are propaganda at
tacks on f1imsy pretexts and a va
riety of episodes which have tended
to bring the organization into dis
repute instead of building up the
confidence we so much desire.
1t is clear that if the United Ma
tons organization is to be used as
forum for debating theological diff
ferences it will fail. 1t can succeed
only if it is to be used to secure to
all nations the freedom to preserve
their own ways of life while con-
tributing to the common good of the
world. We believe that the right line
of approach to every problem is to
ask ourselves the question will this
solution promote peace and under
standing?" I believe that all over
the world the peoples have the same
desire to realize this great vision
of peace and disarmament and would
wish world problems to be settled on
this basis.
Deeds, Not Words.
For this reason, my friend, the
Foreign Secretary, has exercised the
greatest restraint in not indulging
in polemics in reply to attacks made
upon this country in speeches made
at U. N. o. and in sections of the
foreign press and broadcasts.
tits better to answer by deeds, not
words. Our action in India, in Bur-
ma, in the Colonial Empire and else-I
where refute the contentious that
the British Commonwealth and En-
pire is animated by imperialism.
We shall continue to strive for
our ideals of peace and to lift the
heavy burden of ornaments from
the people of the world. But en-
phasize that disarmament cannot
be unilateral, and that while gen.
eral confidence and security are be-
ing established in the world we must
maintain our defense forces and re-
main strong. The lesson of the in
ter-war period was that disarma-
ment must march hand in hand
with the establishment of general
system of security. But when such a
system has been established we must
make our contribution to the forces
needed for its preservation.
Policy of Cooperation.
Meanwhile the basic policy Of his
government is now, as it
always has been, to work for the
restoration of the world and the
establishment of prosperity, peace
and tranquility. in closest co-opera-