ECONOMIC NEEDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 98, 6 February 1936, Page 5

ECONOMIC NEEDS

THE TENDENCY TOWARD WAR.

LABOUR VIEW OF REMEDY.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

(United Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.49 a.m ) LONDON, February 5. In the House of Commons the ex-lead-er of the Opposition (Mr George Lansbury) moved a resolution in favour of summoning, through the League of Nations, an international conference lo deal with economic factors, which, the motion claimed, are responsible for the world-wide preparations for war, aiicli as necessity for access* to raw materials and markets and for migration. Mr Lansbury declared that lie had no faith in any system which relied on force. When war broke out it was impossible to preserve any balance of fairness to the opponents. Nations lost all sense of light and wrong. And when at last settlement was reached by force it was always such as sooner or later had to be reviewed and modified. The economic conditions of the world should be brought under review. He was not proposing to share out the British Em pire. He wanted an entirely new conception of world unity, under which toe raw materials of the world would be organised by international authority for the service of all the nations of the world. If the Government comd cooperate and organise to destroy, surely it should be easier to join in carrying out this humane proposal. After a Conservative amendment had been moved, expressing confidence that the Government would take all practicable steps to promote international prosperity and a better understanding between the peoples, Mr j>. Lloyd George (Liberal) spo;re in suj>port of the proposal for an international conference to consider -raw nnieuals and colonial problems. He syud that the two great countries of Europe were apprehensive of encirclement Germany and Russia. Germany was frightened of .Russia arid France, and Russia was frightened of Germany and Japan. Was it not possible to break this circle of fear before ’t was too late. He suggested reconsideration of the distribution of the League’s mandates. Regarding the German claims, Mr Lloyd George said they’ shou :l not be ignored because of unfortunate or foolish speeches of certain Oo.nifn leaders.

Mr L. C. M. S. Amery (Conservative) said lie thought the proposed conference would be foredoomed f o futility.— - ' , Mr Amery asked: AY hat hope was there of any of the Powers coming to the conference prepared to surrender territory or alter their economic policies. The Government’s reply was made by Viscount Cranborne (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs) who said that the Government was not in disagreement with Mr Lansbury. Tf they differed, the differences ivere of degree and of faith latlioi than substance. All people viewed with grave concern the preparations -that were being made for war. If Britain was the last of all the nations to do so, she was -reconsidering the state of her armaments. It was not because she wanted to go to war, but with the view of strengthening her forces of order against the forces of' disorder. After further debate Mr Lansbnry’s motion whs defeated by 228 votes to 1-27. < Tho amendment was carried by 20/ votes to 125.—British Official YY lieless.