VIOLENT UPROAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 299, 18 December 1935, Page 7

VIOLENT UPROAR.

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES

M. Laval's Statement Followed By Wild Scenes. DEBATE POSTPONED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12.30 p.m.) PARIS, December 17. M. Laval, amid violent demonstrations of the Deputies, defended the Abyssinian peace proposals. His statement indicates the lines on which the British Government is likely to defend the proposals in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister declared that lie came to agreement with Britain to do everything to avoid an extension of the conflict to Europe, and added: "Article XVI. might have landed us in war. We agreed with Britain to adopt only economic sanctions, not military sanctions or a naval blockade.

"I expressed the wish that new sanctions should only be considered after the failure of a fresh attempt at conciliation. I rallied to Britain because I was convinced that her collaboration was essential to the security of France. It would be painful to end our ties of friendship with Italy, so we have tried to find a basis of negotiation in order to avoid rigid economic sanctions like oil, iron and coal.

"With Britain I drafted a formula representing the limit of our efforts. It is now up to Geneva to do what she thinks fit."

The temperature of the Chamber rose rapidly as M. Laval spoke. "What would you have done in my place?" he challenged the Left.

"They would have started a war!" shouted a Lavalite, causing uproar, culsainating in the most violent demonstration the Chamber has witnessed in months.

M. Laval's statement was not followed by a debate, which M. Laval suggested should be held on December 27, making the issue the matter of a vote of confidence.

Later M. Laval, after a further stormy scene, secured a majority of 54 for the debate on foreign affairs to be held on December 27 instead of on December 20, as M. Blum, Socialist, suggested.

M. Laval, replying to M. Cot's demand not to enter any engagement at Geneva without referring it to the Chamber, declared that he had no other policy than he had stated. He refused to go to Geneva under humiliating conditions.

SIGNIFICANT WORDS.

PHRASE IN LAVAL SPEECH. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 17. The "Daily Herald" declares that the most significant phrase in M. Laval's speech was, "I rallied to the British thesis," which, the paper contends, confirms the Labour view that the Baldwin Government was leading France towards the betrayal of the League.

"The Times" Paris correspondent says that but for the fear of precipitating a crisis and a general reluctance to step into M. Laval's highly uncomfortable shoes, the Government would very likely have been defeated, while outside of Parliament the speech has not altered the opinions of critics of M. Laval's latest effort at peace-making, who question the assumption that his policy is the sole alternative to war.

They do not see why Prance and Britain, after deciding against increasing the pressure 011 Italy, should have' produced a disastrous, although incomplete, document. They also ask whether Signor Mussolini, after compelling the world to continue supplying oil to Italy, should not draw the obvious, although erroneous, conclusion that a repetition of threats would remove existing sanctions.

WHY FLEET CRUISED.

House of Commons Laughs at Labour Question. ALEXANDRIA'S PROTECTION. (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, December 17. Asked in the House of Commons why the Government had sent the Fleet to Alexandria, Mr. Baldwin said the Fleet, in accordance with its autumn programme, was due from Malta on August 29 to proceed to ports in the Eastern Mediterranean on a number of visits. Italian ports were included in the programme, but in view of the hostile Press campaign against Britain then in progress in Italy, it became clear that the visits would not be opportune. Consequently it was decided "to confine the cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean. The whole Fleet had never been in Alexandria, but in view of the limited number of suitable ports in the Eastern Mediterranean, it had been necessary for a considerable portion to remain there, as Alexandria was the oily port capable of accommodating a large number of ships under winter conditions. There was laughter when Mr. J. C. Wedgwood (Lab., Newcastle-under-Lynne) asked if the Fleet would not be safer if it were actually in the Suez Canal, so that any Italian bombs would do equal injury to the British Navy, and—

Cries of "Order!" drowned the rest of his sentence.

Mr. G. Mander (Lab., East Wolverhampton) : Is it the policy of the Government to use the Fleet if necessary, or to run away?

No answer was given.