BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26362, 5 March 1951, Page 7

BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY

Mr Bevin’s Future Still Undecided

(Rec. 8 p.m.)* LONDON, March 3. The resignation of the Foreign Secretary (Mr Ernest Bevin), which is now believed almost inevitable, would precipitate a major Cabinet reshuffle, says Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent. Observers say that a denial yesterday of Mr Bevin’s resignation, although authoritative, was informal. It did not say that Mr Bevin was not resigning, but that he had not reached a decision.

A final decision is thought unlikely this week-end, but it is felt that it will not be long delayed. When Mr Bevto resigns, it is thought that Mr Attlee will ask him to remain to the Cabinet, possibly as Minister without portfolio, or he might exchange places with Mr Herbert Morrison, who is considered the most likely candidate for the post of Foreign Secretary. Mr Morrison, who addressed the Yorkshire Regional Labour Party Council yesterday, devoted his whole

speech to foreign affairs. He said Britain’s enormous armament expenditure was not for war, but for ns avoidance.

Mr Morrison continued: “The rearmament programme is simply the premium we must pay to insure peace." He said that until the Russian rulers changed their minds, Britain must take the necessary steps for .her self-pro-tection. He rejected the view that the Third World War had already begun, but said that Russian awkwardness had to be considered in framing British policy. “Our job as socialists is to do our best to make the Soviet rulers change their minds," he added. “If we do, we will be doing what we can to prevent a third world war.”