THE PUBLIC AND PEACE
Sut,—The article in your issue of September 22nd by David Thomson is scarcely fair to the document issued by the National Peace Council and signed by many prominent people. His chief count against it is that it does not mention that international security will need the use of force. This criticism is true. But is it important?
I would maintain that it is not important that it should be men- tioned in this document for the very good reason that our present Government and the Gacrnments of the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R seem to be fully aware of the necessity. Moreover the international control of armaments which is mentioned in the document implies the necessity.
I take it that the document was intended to stress points which
were and are apt to receive insufficient consideration. But there is more than that. The International Force could at most restrain. the German people from making war. It would not cure them of their deep-seated desire for aggression. The object of the N.P.C., if I rightly understand it, is to set forth the sort of international action which, if adequately carried out, is likely to cure the desire for aggression.
Of course it is necessary, as your contributor says, to see the prob- lem as a whole. Surely it was just with that aim that the N.P.C. issued this document very reasonably stressing what was apt to be overlooked, and as reasonably not referring, except inferentially, to what is generally recognised.—I am, yours sincerely, WILLIAM E. WILSON.
Brough. Fold, Natland, Kendal, Westmorland.
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