REPLY TO HITLER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 9

REPLY TO HITLER.

FOREIGN SECRETARY,

Britain Denies Wish to Exclude Germany from Trade. INTERESTS CLOSELY LINKED. Britisli Official Wireless. (Received 32 .noon.). RUGBY. February 3. In a speech at Hull, Viscount Halifax, Foreign Secretary, Commented at some length on Hcrr Hitler's recent speech 011 those passages which dealt specifically with Germany's relations - "with Britain and other Powers.

He said that lie could add nothing to the Prime Minister's words on Tuesday, but lie referred to Hcrr Hitler's statement that Germany must export or die. Xo doubt that was true of Germanyit certainly was true of the United Kingdom.

The Minister took exception to the suggestion of Herr Hitler's that the- last war was waged to exclude Germany from world 'trade, pointing out that Germany was Britain's best foreign customer before the war, and German and British trade had -flourished together. . -

Xo* two countries were more closely bound together, by a, commercial and financial!partnership- than Germany and Britain. Why should Britain, then, wish to exclude Germany from world trade? What destroyed trade was waste of capital tyul labour on unproductive purposes, such as armaments, also lack of confidence and fear of war.

Hcrr Hitler' had predicted a long period of* peace, and no one hoped more devoutly than lie,; Lord Halifax, did that this prediction would be fulfilled, for with real assurance peace and economic development would be possible. He did not . propose to discuss the extent to .which the difficulties of Germany. or aiiv other country might be reduced by action within the power of a single country to take, but lie did know that so long as the world remained an armed camp the present difficulties would persist for all. Work for the Common Good. If there was any one thing certain it was that basic economic standards — the amount a"nd quality and price of food the' people ate, the rent and taxes they paid—could not be improved unless all nations worked together for the common good. Britain was prepared to do'that at all times, and as an example of better method he cited the recent successful coal negotiations between Britain and Germany, and ex-pressed the liope that the forthcoming negotiations with a wider scope between British and German industries would be equally successful. Lord'- Halifax also commented on the statement a few weeks ago in which President llobscvel.t gave a . striking expression to ideals, many of which were held in common by the American and British peoples. In these tiriies, which were" revolutionary, they must recognise that things would he done | which shocked the moral sense of the people. Responsible statesmen must, however, bear in milid'that the end of all their efforts must be to resist, the forces that would destroy peace. Modern Rival Philosophies. In another part of his speech Lord Halifax analysed, two elements which I in the modern world added to the diffi- . culties and complexities of international J affairs. ' ... i The relations between the State and | tiie individual,- which for British people | have been formally established-on the basis of liberty and respect for human ' personality, "were elsewhere replaced by I philosophies which .were opposed to | many things "that they in Britain i regarded as fundamental. i It was this lack of philosophies which, . in addition to,the legacy of feeling and ! disturbance left by the Great War, was ! responsible for the present atmosphere ! ill which intolerance was often regarded ' as a sign of strength and tolerance as weakness. In such an atmosphere it was understandable, if some-people we're tempted to abandon efforts for standing, tli'at it seemed to bring lio reward. .Lord Halifax went on to pay a tribute to the -perseverance and courage of Mr. Chamberlain in his efforts to restore confidence in Europe. It was in the spirit of these efforts that Mr. Chamberlain had gone to Rome.

With no country -had British differences been sharper in the recent past than with Italy. The Fascist' regime was totallv different from the British, and Italy-formed jjart of the RomeBerlin axis which was essentially a point in Italian policy, just -as the entente with France was in Britain.

; Referring to British armed strength, the Foreign Minister said that 011 sea or land and in the air. ; -as a result of the last two or three years .of intensive drive, Britain was a long way 011 the road to resuming her ancient strength and if trouble came, and there was temptation in any quarter to think Britain' would not give a good account of herself, those holding that opinion would make a very bad mistake.