GENEVA SPEECH BY MR JORDAN

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22142, 12 July 1937, Page 12

GENEVA SPEECH BY MR JORDAN

QUESTIONS IN HOUSE OF COMMONS

"BLUE-PENCILLING" DENIED BY MR EDEN (FROM OPB OWH COBRESPONDEKT.) LONDON. June 12. The supposed "blue pencilling" of the speech of Mr W. J- Jordan. New Zealand High Commissioner m London by Mr R. A. Eden (Foreign Secretary), at the League of Nations meeting a 1 Geneva recently, received such publicity, in spite of official denials, thai eventually questions were asked in the House of Commons. Mr Eden told the House that the reports had been 'entirely without foundation." Interviewed at New Zealand House Mr Joraan said: "wnen we were sitting at the Council table Mr Eden came over to me and kinaiy gave me the opportunity of seeing the notes ol tne speecn that he intended to make, i went througn them and I actuany quoted from tnem in my own speecn, "Later Mr Eden returned to colieci his note's, when I referred to certain passages in them. It was these passages that he marked in the margin, ihey were, you understand, his own notes. Mr Eden did not go through my speecn. but I did read througn his. In the House of Commons Mr D. Adams (Labour) asked Mr Eden wha. influence, if any, was brought by His Majesty's Government, to bear on the delegate from New Zealand immediately before the delivery of his speech at the League Council meeting. Mr Eden: My attention has been drawn to certain press reports on this matter. I am glad to have this opportunity of stating that these reports are entirely without foundation. Mr G. le M. Mander (Liberal): Are we to understand that the New Zealand Government is in the fullesl agreement with the views expressed by the British Government at the recent council meeting at Geneva? Mr Eden: Any one of His Majesty*! Governments is entitled to express it* own views. The press reports to th« effect that I blue-pencilled the speed are entirely inaccurate. I understanc that the representative of the Govern ment of New Zealand on the counci has already denied the reports. Miss Ellen Wilkinson (Labour): Ii it a fact that the Foreign Secretary made no representations to the repre sentative of the New Zealand Gov ornment, which caused him to modifj the speech that he had originally de cided to make? Mr Eden: I think my answer is quit* clear. Mr H. Dalton (Labour): Does not th< Foreign Secretary welcome very sin cerely the whole-hearted support of th< Government of New Zealand? Mr Edpn: We welcome the co-opera tion of His Majesty's Governments ii all the Dominions.