WARNING GIVEN?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 65, 18 March 1938, Page 7

WARNING GIVEN?

MR. LLOYD GEORGE. Threat to Form Alternative Leftish Government. t' ■ J VISITS TO PARIS. United Press Association.—Copyrljfht. (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 17. Mr. Llovd George has left for Paris, and Mr. Churchill will follow him at the week-end. Speculation has been aroused as to whether there is any significance attached to their visits to Paris and as to whether they are to confer with the French Government. Before departing Mr. Lloyd George declared that tlie British Empire and France had been manoeuvred into the worst strategic position ever. He described British policy as a "stubborn muddle." "I have never seen such a mess in foreign affairs since I have been in political life," lie added.

In connection with Messrs. Churchill and Lloyd George's visit to Paris, where Sir Walter Citrine is attending a meeting ot the International Labour Federation, it is strongly stated in the lobbies that Mr. Churchill warned the Government that unless it took a firm line in Spain accompanied by guarantees to Czechoslovakia, he would cross the floor of tlie House, and his action, he believed, would be followed by 50 Government supporters. He would then try to form an alternative Leftish Government. The "News Chronicle" says that a canvass of Conservative opinion in the lobbies revealed that many of Air. Chamberlain's supporters were becoming increasingly impatient concerning the Government's nerveless grasp of the situation. It can frankly be stated that the Ministers are not united 011 the next step. I he "Daily Telegraph" says that Mr. Winston Churchill and Mr. Llovd George' operating the beginnings of a newj united front, as evidenced by the new* unity between Labour supporters audi Liberals in criticising the foreign policy. j