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"For the cause that lacks assistance,
'Gainst the wrongs that need resistance
For the future in the distance,
And the good that we can do."
The Canberra Times
MONDAY MAY 6, 1946.
SURRENDER BUT NOT PEACE.
TWELVE months ago, it was virtually all over in Europe .The Ger-
man army had disintegrated into a disorganised force without a
continuous front, and surrender negotiations were brief. It was a time
when the pent up feelings of a war-torn world found some relief, and
this showed itself in rejoicings, tempered by the fact that the war was
not entirely over and that there was another foe yet to be brought to
defeat. But, for Europe, there was a real prospect that there would
be peace.
To-day, twelve months after the German defeat, the Foreign Minis-
ters of the leading European Powers are unable to agree on the terms
of peace. This reproach needs to be qualified with the remembrance
that considerable progress has been made in efforts to lay the founda-
tions of an edifice of peace, but although the stones have been well and
truly laid there is some variation in the quality of the mortar which
some of the builders bring to their work. They have not yet been able to
agree on standard materials which will form the strength of the build-
ing, and consequently there have been times when the work has been
slow or even stagnant.
It may be easy for nations whose views differ, to find in one another
the cause of the slow pace with which peace is being moulded. It is
unfortunate that the opportunities for participating in the work of peace
are not evenly apportioned. There is some difference in viewpoint be-
tween the big Powers who have taken to themselves the major portion
of the actual framing of peace proposals, and there is ground for fear
among other nations who have not the same opportunities, lest the
failure to agree on the part of the few may impede a general agreement
among all nations. It is well, however, that the causes and the points
of disagreement from time to time are known to the world and that
they are freely and frankly discussed. Australia is certainly one of
those countries which is not taking a back seat in the peace-making.
If Australia is not admitted to some of the inner councils, there is no
inclination on our part to sit back and leave the work to others. Nor
is Australia prepared to allow decisions to be made or trends to de-
velop without her views being put forward promptly and plainly. Be-
cause Australia is not alone in this attitude of thought and deed, there
is ground for confidence that while peace-making is not left to the other
fellow, there will one day be a real peace. It was because peace was
not made a matter of intimate concern for all the peoples of the world
after the last war, that we had to suffer at length another war.
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