MR JORDAN AT GENEVA

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 12

MR JORDAN AT GENEVA

SPEECHES DEFENDED BY MR THORN

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter,)

WELLINGTON, July 20. “I hope that the Government will instruct the New Zealand High Commissioner in London (Mr W. J. Jordan) to persist in the attitude he has always taken in the League of Nations,” said Mr J, Thorn (Government, Thames) during the Address-in-Reply debate, in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Thorn replied to criticism of Mr Jordan’s activities at Geneva, made by Mr F. W.. Doldge (Opposition, Tauranga). “I hope the Government will tell Mr Jordan always to speak with frankness and honesty, and in plain language ordinarv people can understand,, and that it will instruct him to avoid in all circumstances the obscurity, diplomatic finessing, dishonesty, and humbug which diplomats have brought the world to its present situation,” Mr Thorn added. He paid a tribute to Mr Jordan, and said that he was a highly respected in G >neva as he was in London. Wh&n he expressed his views there he was expressing the views of millions of people in Britain, tens of millions on the Continent, and the majority of the people of New Zealand. Mr Doidge had said that Mr Jordan was not trained in diplomacy; but there were a lot of people who thought that he was no worse off fpr that, Mr Thorn added. '