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Salient. An organ of student opinion at Victoria College Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 2, No. 5 April 19, 1939

American Attitude

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.