The Struggle For Peace

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" But if in other countries it is found that Fascism or Com-
munism suit their conditions, I do not see why we should try
to impose our ideas upon them so long as they do not try to
impose their ideas upon us. After all, we have to live with
these countries, we have to trade with them, we have to work
with them in all matters which require international co-opera-
tion. Surely in those circumstances it is only common sense
to try to make our relations with them as amicable as possible
instead of nagging at one another until we all lose our tempers.
" As for the League, anybody who has read the speeches
that I have made about it during the last few years must know
that I have repeatedly pointed out that in its present condition,
when the League includes only a minority of the Great
Powers, it is incapable of carrying out the intentions of its
founders. To pretend that this maimed and mutilated League
can really afford security to the smaller Powers of Europe is
not loyal to the League; it is disloyalty, because, if anybody
believes it, it would mean that they would be putting upon
the League a burden which it is clearly unable to carry.
" I have said, and I repeat here, that the ideals for which
the League was founded are great and splendid ideals, and
those who still retain their faith in them, as I do, can surely
best show their loyalty by striving to bring the League back
to health and strength so that it may become in truth what it
was meant to be from the beginning—a world organisation
embracing all political systems, uniting all in a common
determination. And when we have done that, then, indeed^
we may entrust to the League the peace of the world in the
sure and certain conviction that it can preserve it.
" In the meantime, until we can be satisfied that every one
else is as peacefully minded as we are, we have no alternative
but to go on building up our defence forces.
" I deplore the necessity for that, but, in the present cir-
cumstances, I believe it to be essential. We have been carrying
out our programme of rearmament as rapidly as possible
under peace conditions and in accordance with our desire to
interfere as little as possible with -the course of ordinary
trade. . . .
" If I may sum up my conclusions, I would say that what
we have already achieved encourages us to believe that we