ANGRY SCENES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 211, 19 June 1936, Page 5

ANGRY SCENES

HOUSE OF COMMONS. LABOURAND THE LEAGUE. MR EDEN’S SPEECH CONDEMNED ‘AOT OiF POLITICIAL TREACHERY.‘ LLOYD GEORGE ALSO ATTACKS. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. Italian: and German Ambassadors were present in the House when the Foreign Secretary made his statement on Britain’s attitude in regard to sanctions. Mr Eden was frequently interrupted hm cries from the Opposition of “Resign!” “Shame!” “Sit down 2” and ‘ ‘Sabotage !” Mr Arthur Greenwood (Labour), following Mr Eden, said that no more deplorable speech had eyer fallen from the lips of a F oreign. Secretary. There was no word of sympathy for a broken nation, no word. of condemnation for al Power that had deliberately organised poison gas. The speech meant truck—]ing to a. Dictator. Millions would hear it with shame and consternation. Mr Greenwood compared a number of the Government’s past speeches with its present performance. He said it had betrayed its election manifesto and committed the biggest act of political treachery in the history of the country. He added that unless the House was given an emphatic denial it would have no alternative but to believe the Government’s policy included limitation of the powers of the League and reversion to regional pacts. Angry scenes were evoked by Mr Greenwood’s denunciation of the Government for “dispensing with the League’ s one effective weapon .’ ’ The. occupants of the Ministerial benches shouted: “Will you go to war?”

Labour members cried: “Order!” A Conservative attempted to put the question formally, but was met with cries of “Sit down-1’ ’ ‘ Earl Winterton sarcastically shouted “Brave Socialists!” Another Conservative told the Labour members: “It is not you who will do the fighting, but us.” A Labour «mmber retaliated: “You will get a. staif job, I suppose.” . When the House quietened, Mr Greenwood said he did not believe war was the onlytthing left. Economic and financial sanctions, if, properly applied, would bring anx'nation to its knees. Mr D. Lloyd George said that if- the Government were going to Geneva. tol say it had been beaten and that thel League had failed and did not proposei further sanctions, there would be an; end to the authority 01‘ the Leagued Mr Eden’s predecessor, Sir Samueli Hoare, had had the decency to resign‘ when his policy was thrown over. ‘ Mr Lloyd George continued that he; had been in the House nearly half a century and had never before heard a British Minister, holding the next most most important position to the Prime Minister, say'that Britain was beaten. “There will be international anarchy the moment this is known,” said Mr Lloyd George. “It is no use Mr Eden saying he is going to Geneva to recong struct and reform the League. No nation has refused to uphold sanctions. The ranks of the League are not broken. Mt Eden is going to Geneva to break them and to smash the League. I wish he had left it to somebody else. Abyssinia has not been conquered.” Mr Lloyd George asked what was France’s attitude. Mr Eden replied that the new French Government. said 'it was not prepared to take the initiative in raising sanctions, but was anxious to work with Britain. _The French Government had ._ not given an indication of its desire to maintain sanctions or that it would support further sanctions. Mr Lloyd George proceeded: “British prestige abroad was never lower. Fifty nations will never trust this ’ crowd again. To-uight we have had a cowardly surrender and there are the cowards!” Mr Lloyd George stood pointing at the Ministers. Mr Lloyd George declared, in ringing tones: “The danger of war is less now than when sanctions were imposed. The ,Fleet then was unprepared, and illequipped. Moreover, France’s attitude which, under M. Laval, was hostile to sanctions, has now changed. Spain’s attitude is also different. All the Mediterranean Powers except Italy Were ready to support you; ytet you are running away.” The Government watchword was that Britain had failed, therefore she had funked; but why had Italy’s foreign trade dwindled by over half? If an increasing strain had been kept up for another. year terms could have been made with Signor Mussolini, concluded Mr Lloyd George. When Mr Lloyd. George sat down back benchers rose. Labour members cried “We want Baldwin!” The Prime Minister thereupon arose. ‘ He claimed that in his speeches he had stressed the tentative nature of sanctions and collective security. He was convinced the League must con—sider in the autumn the whole question of collective security. The views stated by Mr Eden had the unanimous sup—port of the Government, which was , honestly convinced they represented the wiser of two courses. It was necessary that the League and Europe make up their minds whether they were prepared to put their forces in a condition to support the League States against an aggressor. “I feel convinced that among common people of many countries in Europe, here and France, there is such loathing of war—not from fear but

from knowledge of What it may mean—— that I sometimes wonder if they would march unless they believed their own frontiers were in danger.” “Vere Britain threatened, continued Mr Baldwin, every man would spring to arms, but a, good deal of education might be needed, before they would con--sent to undertake all the oh-ligatibns of the Covenant. If war came. nearer than the Mediterranean, people would pay in the first night with: their lives. The first blow might come from the air.

“I do not- -sec how, or whenl the opportunity will come, but we are hoping to bring France, Germany, and ourselves into a conference for the peace of Europe,” concluded the Prime Minister.

The leader of the Labour Opp-051'» tion (Major 0, R». Attloe) said that peace would never be obtained by run—ning away and shaking like a jelly at every dictator who shook his first at one. The ‘vGove'mimexnt was not piling, arms for peace, but was leading, the country back to the blocndrstainod track of war. The debate was adjourned. Major Attlee gaye notice of motion: ”That the Government, by its lack of resolute, straightforward foreign policy, has lowered the prestige of the country, weakened the League of Nations, and imperilled peace, and thereby for—feited the confidence of the House.” Sir Archibald Sinclair, 011 behalf of the Opposition Liberals, also tabled a motion against the dropping of sanetions.