After climbing up a series of stairs tastefully covered in red rubber with a black swastika design, "Salient" edged into a very small and crowded hall in the Beehive Chambers recently to listen to a discussion on armed intervention; This had been arranged by "Woman Today," the valiant paper that stands as a protest against the usual astrology and love story type of feminine reading, and was the first of a regular series of discussions.

American Attitude.

Mrs. Lipson, representing the United States, gave a brief resume of the attitude adopted by intelligent Americans towards the international situation, and discussed the problems facing the President and Congress in the formulation of a foreign policy. In a country divided into three great parts—the East with its European interests, the middle, Strongly in favour of isolation, and the west, which anxiously watches events in the Pacific—the clash of interest is strong. From it, however, the isolationist movement rises predominant, and while once the United States would have interfered in international affairs, notably during the Manchurian crisis, and while she is worried and uneasy at continued German aggression, still she would fight only in self-protection, or if an attack upon Canada or Mexico threatened her sensitive frontiers. The European situation to-day is not regarded as hopeful, and people believe that as long as there is a group predominantly Fascist in control of the foreign policy of England, there will be entanglement on entanglement.

The second speaker, Mrs. C. A. Birchfield, representing the Now Zealand viewpoint, brought forth familiar arguments in support of collective security, emphasizing the need for unity among the workers of the world, and the realization of peace through a united and powerful working class.

Beware.

"Be careful of catchwords and labels. Pacifists to-day are those people who want war, while those we term militarists want peace," said one of the speakers in the lively and at times amusing discussion which followed the addresses. Among the speakers from the floor was Mrs. Stewart, M.P., who continued for some time in a Parliamentarian strain, and really said nothing. And one of the three gentlemen present rose in favour of capitalism, to be promptly squashed by his wife, who stood up immediately afterwards to explain "What my husband really has at the back of his mind. . . ."

Various intriguing discussions which continued right down over the swastikas again to the door and beyond testified to the interest which had been aroused; and students, particularly women students, can be genuinely recommended to watch the newspapers for announcements of a further meeting. If the same standard is preserved, it will be well worth attending.

—K.R.