§ 7.25 p.m.
§ Mr. MANDERI beg to move,
That this House is of opinion that serious consideration should be given to the desirability of an international police force for the better maintenance of world order and a tribunal in equity to provide for peaceful change.I cannot help thinking that an occasion of this kind is not inappropriate at the present moment when the outlook of the new world order has been dimmed by the unexpected, unnecessary and unjustified events of the last few days. All of us will be only too glad to take any practical steps to study any possible means of avoiding the hideous spectre of war. There is no halting-place between a properly organised system of collective security and complete chaos throughout the world. I do not intend to trespass to any extent on the matters which will be debated to-morrow, though, no doubt, the events which have recently been happening are bound to come into the picture to some extent. It is about two years ago since I had the privilege of introducing into this House a Motion on these lines, but at that time it was confined entirely to the international police force. Now I am filling out the programme and including, what is indeed a necessary part of it, the provision of a tribunal in equity as well. It is not enough, simply to maintain order in the world, to hold down by force a dissatisfied unit of the nations. It is necessary to provide some means of making changes, when and as they appear to be necessary, by peaceful means. We have passed from the purely national stage of the world's history and are well into the international 1848 sphere. That international authority will have to be provided with power to accept joint responsibility for policing the world and providing the nations with justice as between one another.There has been during the last couple of years a considerable advance in public opinion on this question. One might begin by referring to political parties. This Motion is part of the official policy of my own party. The Labour party also are in close sympathy with the Motion, and no doubt we shall hear something about it later on. I know that there are many responsible Conservatives who are wholeheartedly in sympathy with it. In addition, I would mention two important national bodies which have adhered to it, first of all the National Council of Evangelical Free Churches, which, at its last conference passed a resolution on the lines of this Motion, and, most important of all, there is the British Legion, which has made what appears in this Motion part of its policy. I submit that it is not possible to say that, when the British Legion is right in a matter of peace and war, it is not worthy of serious consideration. I will give three examples from the three spheres of land, air and sea of how progress has been made and how specific instances can be quoted from the experience of the last two years in the matter of an international police force. I start by referring to the precedent created by the sending of international forces to the Saar a year ago. That immediately altered a difficult and dangerous situation, where there were possibilities of an outbreak of violence on an extensive scale, to one where peace and order were immediately established.
§ It being Half-past Seven of the Clock, and there being Private Business set down by direction of The CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANS under Standing Order No. 6, further Proceeding was postponed without Question put.