STRONG DENIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 133, 7 June 1937, Page 7

STRONG DENIAL.

GENEVA INCIDENT.

Mr. Eden's Reported "Strong Pressure" on Mr. Jordan.

N.Z. OFFICIALS ANNOYED.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

LONDON, June 6.

The officials at the New Zealand Government office in London are upset by an article in the "News Chronicle" by its diplomatic correspondent, Mr. Vernon Bartlett.

After stating that the principal delegates to the Imperial Conference had made it clear to the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, that the restoration of the prestige of the League of Nations was of vital importance to them, the writer refers to the "clash" between Mr. Eden and Mr. W. J. Jordan, New Zealand High Commissioner, at Geneva on May 29, when the Foreign Secretary was alleged to have had an altercation with the New Zealand High Commissioner, resulting in the latter having his speech "blue pencilled."

"It is now fairly widely known," savs Mr. Bartlett, "that Mr." Eden brought most unusual pressure to bear on Mr. Jordan in order that he should say nothing which might encourage the Spanish Government or offend Germany and Italy. Mr. Jordan—impressed bv Senor del Vavo's overwhelming evidence of the contempt of Germany and Italy for their non-intervention p'ledges— was about to propose that the problem of Spain should be more or less transferred from the Non-intervention Committee to the League.

"Mr. Eden dissuaded liim from doing anything of the sort, but only l>v methods which have offended the* Xew Zealanders and all the other representatives ot the Dominions, who attach importance to the independence guaranteed to them by the Statute of Westminster."

Mr. Jordan, speaking to a representative of the Australian Associated Press, reiterated his denial that Mr. Eden had induced him to amend his speech. "I am too jealous of the position of New Zealand in the League to subject it to undue influence from anv other delegate," said Mr. Jordan. "New Zealand counts on the League as it does on the United Kingdom. Any suggestion that I was swayed by unusual pressure from Mr. Eden is absolutely incorrect. It is absurd also to suggest that I and other New Zealanders are offended at anything Mr. Eden is said to have done."