BRITAIN TO LEAD SANCTIONS RETREAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 7

BRITAIN TO LEAD SANCTIONS RETREAT.

REPORTED decision. Conservative Pressure on Cabinet. EDEN RESIGNATION DENIED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 0.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 15. Reports that the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, will resign as the result of Mr. Neville Chamberlain's speech condemning sanctions, are officially denied. In the House of Commons Mr. Eden said the Government desires a debate on foreign policy at the earliest opportunity. "I will then be prepared to state tlie views of the Government regarding the action to be taken collectively at the meeting of the League Council and Assembly,'' he added. According to the "Daily Mail," a hurried meeting of CJabinet members, including Mr. Eden, in the Prime Minister's room, decided that sanctions must" be dropped and that Britain should lead the League retreat from sanctions policy.

Twenty speakers at the weekly meeting of the Conservative Members Committee were unanimous that sanctions be terminated.

Mr. Chamberlain's speech is still the focal point of discussion oil sanctions.

The "Daily Telegraph" diplomatic correspondent, commenting on the surprise caused by Mr. Chamberlain's being the first responsible Minister to ventilate the subject, says Mr. Chamberlain was anxious to take the earliest opportunity of countering Viscount Cecil's latest belligerent pacifist campaign. The correspondent adds that Ministers are already agreed upon the main aims of British policy, which is directed toward securing an early end of the sanctions experiment and renewed collaboration with Italy in order to restore European confidence. Ministers are increasingly convinced that Britain must assume the responsibility of proposing the abolition of sanctions, which it is believed Mr. Eden now favours. France lias intimated to Britain her view that "sanctions should be ended to enable an immediate start to be made with the larger endeavours for the pacification of Europe. The Prime Minister, M. Blum, a strict doctrinaire and internationalist, is reluctant that the French Government should take the public initiative, and desires to limit himself to a promise of French support of British action. Moreover, M. Blum's Ministers are absorbed in domestic problems, and so far a clear idea of their views on European peace and securitv is not obtainable.

Accordingly, London shares the views in Rome and Berlin, which are echoed in the smaller capitals, that internal difficulties at present render France negligible in the European equation. This is greatly regretted in London as being largely responsible for stiffening the German attitude. .It also strengthens the view that the great European issues demand Italy's renewed cooperation in the Locarno Powers' task following the German reoccupation of the Rhineland. \ COMMONS DEBATE. DATE FIXED FOR THURSDAY. British Official Wireless. (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, June 15. Six questions were down for answer in the House of Commons bearing on the speech delivered last week by Mr. Xeville Chamberlain, and asking that the attitude that will be taken by the British Government at the meetings of the League of Nations towards the end of June should be defined. Most of the questions were addressed to the Prime Minister and ask when an opportunity for a debate in the House of Commons on the international situation will be given. The Leader of the Opposition, Major C. R. Attlee, gave notice that the Labour party would ask for a debate on Thursday, and later the Prime Minister intimated that the Government would accept this request.