CRITICISMS BY OPPOSITION

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24749, 14 December 1945, Page 7

CRITICISMS BY OPPOSITION

“Loan Terms Very Harsh” ABSTENTION FROM VOTING

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 12. Mr Churchill and all the other leading figures' of the Opposition were present in the House of Commons for the debate on the British-American lean agreement. The Conservatives had decided to abstain from voting on the motion to approve the agreement. “The Government may have a mandate to nationalise gas works, but there is one mandate they never got from the British people—to sell the British Empire for a packet of cigarettes,” declared Mr Robert Boothby (Conservative). “The loan terms are very harsh. The Americans have had full value from lend-lease and substantial capital profit from the securities we were forced to sell in order to save them. We shot off all we could in defence of the United States. “It is for Americans to assess what pleasure they got from bargaining for victory over their best friends. This is an economic Munich. It is the greatest economic defeat we have had. The proposals may break up the British Empire. They will have an adverse effect on the colonies.” Squadron Leader Hollis (Conservative) said he yielded to no one in the desire for close British-American cooperation, but he recalled that many people before the war had made speeches about collective security and passed resolutions to resist aggression, "but when all the battalions of hell came against us there were four nations alone, geographically the furthest from the scene of battle, which came to our aid. They are the four great Dominions.” (Cheers.) Squadron Leader Hollis said the agreement would be a dangerous enemy to British and American friendship. “Loan is Essential” Mr Oliver Lyttelton said no one had answered the question asked by the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Dr. Hugh Dalton), “What is the alternative?” “I cannot answer it myself,” said Mr Lyttelton. “Therefore I should not be able conscientiously to vote against the Government’s motion. “The loan is absolutely essential,” said Mr Lyttelton. “The. terms are onerous, some of the machinery is premature, some of the objectives and commercial arrangements are unattainable, l eas t immediately, and many of the methods of attaining them are unworkable. The terms are so onerous as nearly to defeat the objects of the transaction. I welcome and accept me other provisions and proposals.” Sir John Anderson, who was Chancellor of the- Exchequer in the Coalition Government, said that the Conservatives would vote neither for nor against the loan proposal. While it appeared that the loan would only serve to drag the country further into debt, it still seemed to be the best course open to the Government. “I think we have had to accept a very hard bargain,” said. Sir John Anderson. “There is no support here for the theory that when the British and Americans get together on a deal the Americans are always outsmarted.” He had indulged the hope that means would have been found of providing and adjusting payment in conformity with the principles of equal sacrifice and the clean-slate principles for which until recently there had been powerful _ backing on both sides of the Atlantic. He took the view that the scheme did not mean a return to the gold standard and declared that unless the Americans kept the dollars flowing freely through international trade arteries there was no hope whatever for the arrangements. The Opposition would not oppose the motion if it were put to a division. On- the other hand it would not vote for it. Trade Policy Document Sir John Anderson confessed that he found the document on the declaration of commercial policy most complicated and most obscure. It was full of qualifications, reservations, and interlocking provisions. “I have always considered Britain bound by the provisions of Article VII of the Mutual Aid Agreement, but I consider that while thereby we are prepared to discuss the whole field, we are no more under an obligation to scrap Imperial preference than the Americans to scrap their protective tariffs,” Sir John Anderson said he thought the plan could be workable but its success lay in the hands.of the Government. "The Conservative shadow cabinet’s decision to advise all Conservatives to abstain from voting on the loan agree* ment on Thursday is expected to have curious consequences," says the Press Association’s political correspondent. ‘Abstention will probably emphasise the size of the Government majority, as the shadow cabinet’s advice is not binding. Some Conservatives will vote openly against the agreement and a few will support it. but the majority will follow the advice and abstain from voting.”

SYRIA AND THE LEVANT

BRITISH AND FRENCH AGREEMENT LIKELY (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 12 Joint declarations by the British ana French Governments announcing a settlement of the problems of Syria and the Levant, which were hotly disputed earlier this year, may be expected shortly.” says the Press Association.

The French Foreign Minister (M. Georges Bidault) has already laid a draft agreement before the French Government. One of its most importcauses will deal with the presence of British and French forces in the Levant, It seems likely that a simultaneous w ithdrawsl will be ssreed on.

big incomes IN U.S.

FIGURES FOR 1943 (R ec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 . The Treasury list of large American incomes for the calendar year 1943 showed that the movie magnate. Louis B. Mayer, headed the field with 908,070 dollars from Loew’s Incorporated, then followed Charles Wilson (General Motors), 459,041 .dollars, Thomas J. Watson (International Business Machines), 425,548 dollars, Fred MacMurray, 419,928 dollars, John B. Hawley (president of Northern Ordnance Incorporated). 400,000 dollars. Nicholas M. Schenck (president of Loew’s) 39 1’ 8 52 dollars - Ormond E. Hunt (General Motors), 359,519 dollars, Albert Bradley (General Mptors), 350,432 dollars Deanna Durbin, 326,491 dollars Barbara Stanwyck, 323,333 dollars, E,’ ii. Kobst (Hoffman Laroche Incorporated) - 308,175 dollars, John Thomas Smith (General Motors), 306,310 dollars, Donaldson Brown (General Motors); 306,160 dollars, Charles F Kettering (General Motors), 306,117 dollars, Elmer J. Mannix (Loew’s), dollars, Sam Katz {Loew’s), 298,12 a dollars, Bing Crosby, 294,444 dollars, William Powell, 292.500 dollars and David Bernstein (Loew’s), 285.906 dollars. . The Associated Press points out that income taxes .took a big bite out of these payments, however, and the rates generally ranged from 50 per cent, on incomes of 200,000 dollars to about 90 per cent, on incomes approaching 1.000,000 dollars.

Patton’s Condition Still Grave.—A medical bulletin states that General G. S. Patton spent a good night. He is taking nourishment, and was greatly cheered by the arrival of Mrs Patton. ! There is no sign of improvement in : the paralysis, and his condition re- [ mains grave.—London, December 12.

MOSCOW TALKS

CHURCHILL WISHES bevin success

REBUILDING SYMPATHY AND GOODWILL (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, Dec., 12. Mr Churchill, in the House of Commons, welcoming Mr Bevin’s decision to go to Moscow, said it would be a very grievous, thing if impediments grew up in the way of a meeting of the Big Three. “For although we all want a much larger organism to come into being,” he said, “lack of agreement and accord of the three major Powers might well be an obstacle for future developments.”. He wished Mr Bevin the greatest possible success in his mission, and said he trusted that personal contacts would result in a settlement of a great many difficult, points and the rebuilding of sympathy and goodwill among the three Powers. Mr Bevin and the main British parly for the Moscow - conference will leave London on Friday and should reach Moscow on Saturday morning. “Apart from the questions of atomic energy and Persia, the agenda is uncertain, but it is probable that the control of Japan and Germany and the present regimes in the Balkans will be discussed,” says the diplomatic correspondent of “The Times.” “With Mr Bevin will be Sir Alexander Cadogan, Sir Ronald Campbell, and the heads of several Foreign Office departments dealing with regions from the Balkans to the Far East. Sir Reader Bullard,’ the British Ambassador to Teheran, will journey northward to his post about the same time to be available with his deep knowledge of Persia and its hopes and fears for the future. “Fears that the three Ministers will try to do the work of the Council of Five have been answered by London officials daily since the , conference was first announced. The three Ministers will not try to draw up treaties with former enemy States. On the other hand, they cannot do their main task of dispelling mutual suspicion and thereby establishing a firmer basis for the wider conferences of the future, unless they freely and frankly exchange their'views on the region which has fostered many of the most stubbornly held suspicions and misunderstandings, namely eastern and south-eastern Europe. They intend to clear the ground, if they can, in order to allow the treaty-mak-ing processes to begin later.” Mr Bevin, in reply to a question in the House of Commons on what steps were being taken to keep the French informed of matters for the Moscow conference, said that the conference was exploratory. The matters on which views were being exchanged affected mainlv the three Governments participating. “We have informed the French Government that we will not commit ourselves on matters concerning her in her absence,” he said. The Exchange .Telegraph Agency says that it is probable that Mr Bevin will break his journey to Moscow at Berlin for talks With FieldMarshal Montgomery and the British control authorities. tI A message from Washington states T n ''^ States Secretary of State (Mr James Byrnes) has left for Moscow.

President Truman has anounced that the next meeting of Foreign SecretarMarch or Apsf. ld “ Washin£ton in

UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION

( Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 12. A decision whero the Dsrmanpnf seat of the United Nations Or?a£ tmn will be established will be made to-morrow by the executive committee of the Preparatory Commission.’’ says the Press Association. “The committee recommended that the site should be in America, but the proposal can be confirmed only by a two-thirds majority of the Preparatory Commission.

“Mr Gromyko, head of the Russian delegation, spoke last night in favour of the United States as the seat of the organisation.

‘The General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation in London has been postponed to January

BACK TO ITALIAN RULE

NORTHERN ITALY AND THREE ISLANDS CONTROL TO CONTINUE IN BORDER ZONES (Rec. 11 p.m.) ROME, Dec. 13. The Allied Commission in Italy has announced that all Northern Italy except the Venezia Giulia and Undine provinces, are reverting to Italian administration on December 31, and also the islands of Pantellaria. Lampedusa, and Lonosa.

The Undine province, which is on the borders of the much-disputed Venezia Giulia, is being retained under Allied Military Government for purely military reasons. Venezia Giulia is being jointly occupied by British and American and Jugoslav troops in two separate zones until the peace settlement.

EXPORTS FROM ITALY

PLANS FOR NEW PACT WITH SPAIN (Rec. 7 p.m.) ROME. Dec. 12. Italy expects to receive payment for at least one-third of the £12,500,000 debt owed her for war materials sent to General Franco during the Spanish Civil War, according to the text of a new Italian and Spanish trade agreement quoted in the Italian financial newspaper “II Globo.”

The newspaper says that the agreement, which will be signed shortly, provides for Spain to export to Italy goods valued at roughly £5,000,000 sterling, against Italian exports valued about £1,250,000. It is learned, however, that the Allied Commission may object to some clauses in the treaty, as Spain is prepared to export to Italy more of certain items than world allocations permit.

ALLEGED SUPPORT FOR FASCISM

REPLY BY VATICAN RADIO

LONDON, December 12,

The Vatican radio, broadcasting in German, replied to allegations that the Roman Catholic Church had supported Fascism. ' -

The broadcast pointed out that according to figures published by the French Ministry for Deported Persons and Prisoners of War, the Germans had arrested 860 Roman Catholic priests in France, half of whom were deported. Many were either executed or died of ill-treatment in concentration camps. “Attacks against the Church are levelled in various parts of the world,” said the broadcast. “They, in reality, all come from one and the same source, but, as always in historyj defamation vanishes and truth prevails.”