BRITAIN AND GERMANY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 38, 24 November 1937, Page 6

BRITAIN AND GERMANY

LORD HALIFAX’S VIEWS. THE REACTIONS IN BERLIN. (United ' Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, November 23. The Berlin correspondent of “ The Times” says that Viscount Halifax’s few remarks in Berlin on Sunday are taken to mean that he was not favourably impressed by what he had seen and heard in Germany. Should his report have the effect of dissipating some of the mistrust of German intentions which, it is thought, prevails in London, then influential circles in Berlin believe the main obstacle to the British and German understanding, upon which the peace of Europe depends, will be considerably lessened. This continuing British, mistrust is thought to be reflected in the British preference of general settlements on the basis of collective pacts as against agreement between individual States on the lines favoured by Germany. It is argued that theve is no problem separating Germany that cannot he solved by bilateral negotiations. On the other hand, the policy of collective security, aiming at the maintenance of the balance of power on the basis of the Versailles Treaty, is hot even in accordance with the realities of Germany’s position and power on the Continent, now that she has rearmed and become allied with other powerful States. In the House of Commons at question time the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) declined to make any statement or commit himself in the meantime to make a- statement on the conversations during the visit to Germany of Lord Halifax, whom, he told the House, he had not yet seen. Later in the afternoon, Lord Halifax, who has just returned to London, called at the Foreign Office, and subsequently Mr Eden and Lord Halifax crossed Downing Street together to see Mr Chamberlain,

Speaking at the British Embassy in Berlin on Sunday, Lord Halifax said he had been able to inform himself of the German viewpoint. No arrangements had been made for a continuance of the conversations, hut he hoped the door had been opened a little wider to a better understanding of the relations between the two countries.