LORD HALIFAX APPOINTED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22338, 28 February 1938, Page 11

LORD HALIFAX APPOINTED

Foreign Affairs Posts MR CHAMBERLAIN KEEPS MAJOR POWERS (UNITED PEESS ASSOCIATION —COPYEIGHT.) (Received February 26, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 25. It is officially announced that Viscount Halifax, Lord President of the Council and Leader in the House of Lords, has been appointed Foreign Secretary in succession to Mr R. A. Eden. Mr R. A. Butler, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry for Labour, has been appointed UnderSecretary for Foreign Affairs in succession to Viscount Cranborne, and Mr A. T. Lennox-Boyd will succeed Mr Butler. The Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) will be responsible for all major aspects of foreign affairs, debates, and questions in the House of Commons. The Australian Associated Press s'tates that the announcement that Lord Halifax will retain the post of Lord President of the Council is regarded as confirmation of the belief that Mr Chamberlain contemplates a Cabinet reconstruction, as it is known that Lord Halifax informed Mr Chamberlain that he did not desire to couple the two portfolios. Lord Halifax does not want to remain Foreign Secretary indefinitely, but he is prepared to carry on during the negotiations between England and Italy and between England and Germany. Lord Halifax is essentially a moderate, conservative, and kindly country gentleman. He is one of the most influential members of the Government behind the scenes, and his colleagues regard him as indispensable. He believes that war must be avoided at all costs, and that Britain must reach an agreement with the dictators. Mr Butler's appointment is likely to be popular. He is one of the few "coming" young men in the party, and he is an excellent linguist.

Mr Lennox-Boyd is an active young Conservative. His appointment will certainly rouse Opposition fury, because he has frequently made speeches favouring General Franco in the House of Commons. Mr Chamberlain's refusal to grant the request of Mr C. R. Attlee (Leader of the Opposition) that the Foreign Secretary should be in the House of Commons will anger the Opposition, but the Prime Minister has compromised by assuming responsibility for all major aspects of foreign affairs in the House of Commons, thus reducing Mr Butler's responsibilities mostly to departmental duties.

LABOUR'S CHALLENGE

FOREIGN SECRETARY "SAFELY STOWED" IN LORDS (Received February 27, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, February 26. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr C. R. Attlee), in his address to the Oxford University Labour Club, said that the appointment as Mr Eden's successor of one who was "safely stowed" in the House of Lords was the measure of Cabinet's belie in popular representation. Labour would challenge that. The country possessed forces strong enough to drive Mr Chamberlain from office.

ITALY REDUCING FORCES IN LIBYA

FACILITATING CONVERSATIONS

WITH BRITAIN

LONDON, February 25. It is authoritatively indicated m Rome that Italy is temporarily reducing her forces in Libya in the hope of facilitating the British and Italian conversations.

MUSSOLINI "UNABLE TO BARGAIN" DICTATOR ATTACKED BY MR ATTLEE (Received February 27, 8.12 p.m.) LONDON, February 26. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr C R. Attlee), addressing the Oxford University Labour Club, ■ described Signor Mussolini as a bankrupt dictator, spreading his troops over a wide area, whose economic position was rotten, whose credit had vanished, and who was unable to bargain. __ LORD PERTH CONTINUES CONSULTATIONS (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIBELESS.) RUGBY, February 26. Lord Perth (British Ambassador to Italy) continued his consultations at the foreign office about the Govprnment's plan for British and ItalfaSTaThs 8 He will remam in London until the end of next