BRITISH POLICY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 167, 11 April 1935, Page 7

BRITISH POLICY

When Will Exploratory Business End? NEWSPAPER’S QUERY France Has Definite Plan For Stresa By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received April 10. 9.50 p.m.) London, April 10. Referring to Sir John Simon’s statement, the “Daily Telegraph” says that public opinion will note with assurance that Britairi is not committed to any course without previous discussiou in Parliament, but it will expect a strenuous attempt to be made to reach a dear-cut decision as soon as the exploratory measures are complete. The “Morning Post” asks: When and where is this exploratory business going to end? We had better make up •our minds to join those countries which .are ready here and now to combine for •common security. It would be absurd ■to represent as encirclement a defensive security system to which Germany .can gain admission for the asking. The “Daily Mail” says that Mr. MacDonald and Sir John Simon should state that the British people will not ■allow themselves to be taxed for or conscripted for the independence of Austria, the defence of Czechoslovakia or the wars of Moscow. They should announce that it hall been decided to organise British security and to build a supreme air fleet. “The Times,” in a leader, says that foreign countries are certain to be somewhat disappointed at Britain’s failure to give a more precise indication of policy, but Sir John Simon’s reason was that other Governments had been assured that no definite decisions would be taken before the Stresa conference. Mr. MacDonald and Sir John Simon can count on the support of a united country both at Stresa and Geneva. Steadying Europe’s Nerves. The "Daily Telegraph’s" diplomatic correspondent says that British Ministers are strongly of the opinion that an early declaration reaffirming Britain’s determination to carry out all obligations under the Covenant and the Locarno Treaty should be made as a steadier to European nerves. The “News-Chronicle” in a leadersays there is a danger that as, if ,the British _ delegation allows it to be thought that Britain cannot as a last resort be relief! upon in a fight against an aggressor, France, Italy and Russia, nervous of Germany and impatient for action, will form a military alliance, thus bringing about the very thing the British Government most deprecates. Mr. Ward Price in the “Daily Mail” says that JI. Laval at Stresa will place a definite plan before the British and Italian Governments. He is convinced that peace hi Europe is impossible without a Franco-German reconciliation, but will not suffer Germany’s infraction of the Versailles Treaty to pass without protest, otherwise the breach might be repeated. France favours the formation of a group of Powers pledged through a military alliance to preserve peace, a place therein being reserved for Germany whenever she is disposed to accept the engagements involved. Franco-Russian Pact. A Paris message states that it is understood that M. Laval, the Foreign Minister, and the Soviet Ambassador, JI. Potemkin, have agreed in principle on a Franco-Russian pact for signature when M. Laval goes to Moscow on April 23. The convention is designed to replace the Eastern Pact if Germany and Poland refuse to sign it. “Le Journal” says that the pact will ultimately take the form of a military agreement attached to the revised mechanism of the League. The importance the British Government attaches to the Stresa talks is shown by the inclusion of Sir Robert Vansittart, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office, Sir William Malkin, legal adviser, Mr. R. F. Wigram, head of the Central Department, Mr. W. Strand, head of the League Section and Mr. R. A. Leeper, head of the News Department, in the delegation. They will be accompanied by Signor Grand!. Italian Ambassador in London, and will be joined at Stresa by Sir Erie Drummond, and two high officials from the British Embassy at Rome.

CABINET SCHOOLS Pro-French and Pro-German APPARENT DIFFERENCE London, April 9. The “Sun-Herald” cable agency correspondent says that the real significance of Sir John Simon’s statement was the entire absence of a defined policy. The situation has the elements of Cabinet complications, the sequel to which will only be known after the Stresa conference. Cabinet appears to have divided itself into two schools—pro-French and proGerman. Evidently the Conservatives are ranging themselves against Mr. MacDonald and Sir John Simon, whose presence at Stresa without a single Conservative Minister may conceivably create a situation in which the Conservatives will eventually seek to replace the National Administration. The Conservatives fear that Mr. MacDonald and Sir John Simon, without Mr. Eden, will not express British policy at Stresa as they want it. DEBATE IN COMMONS Questions as to British Policy London, April 9. In the House of Commons Sir Austen Chamberlain, joining in Mr. Dansbury’s and Sir Herbert Samuel’s demand for tlie earliest possible debate for the European conferences, said that the only object was for the Government to know that iu these critical times it had the support and auhority of the House behind it. Mr. J. Maxton (Lab., Bridgeton) protested that Mr. MacDonald and Sir John Simon might undertake commitments at Stresa and Geneva, of which the House had no indication. “We have heard where Italy, Germany, Russia,

and Poland stand. I do not know where my own country stands.” Sir John Simon said that nobody contemplated that Britain or anyone else should enter <into commitments at Geneva on April 15. Sir E. W. Grigg (Con., Altrincham) : While our representatives at Geneva will not enter into fresh commitments without consulting Parliament, I hope they will nevertheless make it clear that we stand by our existing commitments. , Mr. G. Io M. Mander (Lab., East Wolverhampton) : Is it not' possible for the Government to state its policy before going to Stresa and Geneva? May we be assured that the Government really has a policy? There was no reply. “SHOULD BE PROUD” Constituents of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald (Received April 10. 7.30 p.m.) London, April 9. Mr. J. 11. Thomas, Dominions Secretary, speaking in Mr. MacDonald’s constituency of Seaham Harbour, declared that those who' believed in the defence of Britain and in the existence of nations more warlike than theirs tempted Providence if they left the defences in such a state that they could not even defend their own possessions. Constituents might sneer and jeer at, Mr. MacDonald, but they should be’ proud that in the hour of crisis the world looked to him to go to Stresa and be big enough to face facts. GUEST OF PRINCE Mussolini at Stresa (“Times” Cable.) (Received April 10, 9.50 p.m.) London, April 10. The Milan correspondent of “The Times” says that Signor Mussolini is expected at Stresa to-day and will be the guest of Prince Borromeo in his palace on the island of Isola Bella. British and French Ministers will stay at the Grand Hotel at Stresa. but take their meals at the palace in a room known as “the room of the medals,” representing episodes in the life of St. Charles Borromeo. The conference sittings will be held in the music-room. The Prince lias done everything to give the guests a taste of the family’s traditional hospitality. All his staff will be in costume, and 16 liveried footmen will wait on Signor Mussolini and the British and French Ministers.

(Noto on I’age 5.)