"The substance of Germany's general case has a background of reason and human nature. I cannot be accused of ever having approached it in the "mind of Versailles," nor in the spirit of one who assumed that a powerful and a proud people could be kept subordinate by force (even by what seems to be an overwhelming force), nor have I ever seen anything but disaster issuing from and to the League of Nations if it is used by victors to perpetuate the position and mind they were in on the day of their victory... But, be that as it may, Germany has acted in such a way as to destroy the feeling of mutual confidence in Europe. It has broken up the road to peace and has beset it with terrors. It claims a measure of armed power which puts most of the nations of Europe at its mercy. Every reflecting and reasonable German must see the force of the point I am making. He must know in his heart that Berlin is not enough—that, in fact, it has upset very much more than it has pacified."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Prime Ministers of the United KingdomAcademics from the United KingdomLabour Party (UK) politiciansPresbyteriansPoliticians from Scotland
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
'Peace, Germany and Stresa', News Letter (27 April 1935), quoted in The Times (26 April 1935), p. 16. This article was first issued in the Press Bulletin of the National Labour Committee on 25 April (Documents on German Foreign Policy 1918–1945: April 1935–March 1936 (1962), p. 81)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ramsay_MacDonald
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald (12 October 1866 – 9 November 1937) was a British statesman who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, leading a Labour Government in 1924, a Labour Government from 1929 to 1931, and a National Government from 1931 to 1935.
122 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Ramsay MacDonald →
Related Quotes
"The Hindu from his traditions and religion regards India not only as a political unit naturally the subject of one so…"
"I cannot refrain from wishing you God-Speed in your election contest... [L]et the consequences be what they may, do n…"
"The Labour party is no class champion. In politics it is frankly democratic, in economics it is co-operative... It wa…"
"There is too much expected of parliament. Localities should manage their own affairs and unions of localities should …"
"Our loss of belief in the Liberal party is therefore owing to the fact that its day of historical fitness has passed …"
"The end we have to strive for is complete democratic liberty in politics and complete freedom in industry from the ty…"
"Mr. Rockefeller not only owns the Standard Oil supplies: he controls the railways, the banks, the shops...upon which …"
"Factory Laws, Fair Wages resolutions, Trade Unionism itself, are...all Protection – not the Protection of Mr. Chaplin…"
"[Trade unions should identify] with something higher and wider than trade union industrial demands. It must set these…"
"[W]e shall begin the exploitation of national resources like mines; or we shall begin the process of industrial recon…"