RIFT IN BELGIUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 9

RIFT IN BELGIUM.

ATTITUDE TO SPAIN. Non-intervention Withdrawal Displeases Britain. MINISTER RESIGNS. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, December 2. It is understood Britain informed Belgium that the latter's withdrawal from the Non-intervention Committee was regarded with the strongest disapproval, and as a result Belgium stated that although her decision to resign from the chairman's subcommittee was final, she was prepared to reconsider her position in relation to the full committee. The Belgian Prime Minister, Dr. Paul Spaak, lias decided to submit his Cabinet's resignation before Monday, when the leaders of his party who are hostile to his decision to withdraw the Belgian Ambassador from Barcelona will consider the situation, says a message from Brussels. Dr. Spaak prefers to adopt as the pretext for his resignation the speech of the Finance Minister, M. (ierard, advocating economy and deflation in order to balance the Budget. The decision to recall the Belgian Ambassador and the Cpnsul from Barcelona and send a commercial agent to rebel Spain has led the Barcelona Government to recall its Ambassador from Brussels and delegate his duties to the Antwerp Consulate. The chairman of the Non-intervention Committee, the Earl of Plymouth, has advised the Powers which sponsored the visit to .Spain of Mr. F. Heuimings, secretary of the Non-Intervention Committee, that Britain has no intention of departing from the British plan for the withdrawal of foreign troops and urging that measures be taken to prevent the dismemberment of the committee. A later message states that M. flerard resigned after consultations with King Leopold, because he differs in a policy on which the remainder of the Cabinet is decided. A crisis, therefore, has been averted. A communique ignores the Spanish issue, confirms the anti-deflation policy and promises an economic plan, including compulsory unemployment insurance.