A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 128, 24 February 1938, Page 9

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Mr. Chamberlain’s Policy Tlie resignation of Mr. Anthony Eden* lias shown that acute differences exist between him and Mr. Neville Chamberlain on matters of foreign pol icy. , : : On his appointment as Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain announced the aims of his administration as: (1 >-To keep the peace: . (2) To make Britain so strong that nobody shall treat her with anything hut respect; (3) To maintain and increase the prosperity of trade and employment; (4) To carry on steadily the improvement of the conditions of the life of the people. > “I do not shrink from my new bur dens.” he said. “1 welcome them: not because they serve any personal ambition of mine, but because I conceive that, they may give me new opportunities for furthering those puriaises which first brought me into public life. “I did not seek to enter the House of Commons when I was nearly 50 for the sake of making a career for myself, or because I had idle time on my hands that I did not know how to fill up. I went because I was brought up in a house where public service seemed to lie a natural part of a man’s life, and I should lie unhappy if I were deprived of the opportunity of doing public service so long as I have power to perform it. Ido not ask you to accept liny startling change of policy . . “In all the perplexities and the problems which rise up day after day in front of any Government in these troublous times, the ultimate responsibility of the final decision must rest upon the shoulders oft the Prime Minister.

“No major point of policy can he.decided, no real fateful step can be taken without the assent, either active or passive, of the Prime Minister, and if things go wrong lie can never escape the reflection ‘I might have prevented this if I had thought Mir acted differently.’ ” Relations With Mussolini Reference was made by Mr Anthony Eden in his resignation speech to letters between Mr. Chamberlain and Sig nor Mussolini. A story'is told that soon after his appointment as Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain informed his Cabinet: “I suggest it might be better if Foreign Affairs are in future in the callable hands of the Foreign Secretary and myself.” Right from the outset he has taken far greater personal and active interest in Foreign Affairs than ever his predecessor, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, did. It was more than once hinted that Mr. Chamberlain was his own Foreign Secretary, and that Mr. Anthony Eden, 'who held the office of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, could only act under his direct orders. One of Mr. Chamberlain’s first acts was to summon Count Grandi, Italian Ambassador in London, and give him personal assurances that Britain had no hostile intentions toward Italy as Signor Mussolini seemed to suspect. On his part Count Grandi emphasised Italy’s desire for friendship with Britain. He made it plain that the chief obstacle was Britain’s refusal to recognise the Italian conquest ,of Abyssinia. Count Grandi suggested that matters might be helped if| Mr. Chamberlain would send a personal letter to Signor Mussolini. Mr. Chamberlain wrote the letter immediately. Signor Mussolini replied promptly, signing the letter “Benito Mussolini.” For a time thereafter relations between Italy and Britain were more friendly. In August last Signor Mussolini said Italy was prepared to give her collaboration on the problems confronting Europe. But he attached conditions: The necessity of recognising the Italian Empire, or rather of decently registering the death of former Abyssinia: the taking into.account of the existence of the Rome-Berlin axis; and the absolute refusal to tolerate Bolshevism or anything of a similar nature in the Mediterranean. This last means that Mussolini will not tolerate the present elected government in Spain. Unfortunately. 1 Signor Mussolini went far to undermine the chance of amicable relations between Italy and Britain when he telegraphed Genera l Franco, the rebel lender in Spain, expressing his happiness about the "powerful contribution of the Italian legionnaries to the splendid victory of Santander.” Britain’s Prestige At the basis of Mr. Anthony Eden’s policy was the hope of restoring Bri- - tain’ s prestige in the bomity of nations. In the old days. Powers were expected to tremble when they got a Note from His Britannic Majesty’s Government. If it was a request the request was granted. If it was a .demand, the demand was conceded.

A break in this accepted diplomatic tradition came when, about two years ago. Herr Hitler did not trouble to answer a British questionnaire and repeated reminders, asking his views on European' peace, following Germany’s march into the Rhineland. Hour British sailors were manhandled by Japanese police in Keelung. The British Government sent a Note. Japan would not apologise nor punish the Japanese police. Between August and September of last year Great Britain sdnt several Notes to General Franco protesting against attacks on British ships in the Mediterranean, demanding the release of British ships and crews held by him. General Franco, backed by Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini, did not bother to reply. When the British Ambassador to China, Sir Hughe Knatchbull-Huges-sen, was wounded by machine-gun bullets from a Japanese aeroplane, tiie British Government sent one of the hottest diplomatic Notes drafted in the Foreign Office for years. Britain de manded a full apology and •punishment of the 'offending airman, and an under taking that Japan would in future re cognise the rights of non-combatants Japan’s replies were very evasive, and her assurances have not been worth the paper they were written on. as subsequent events have proved. Air Raid Shelters A picture is published on the illustrations page to-day which shows the entrance to the air-raid shelter at Caxton Hall. Westminster, which was opened by the mayor of Westminster on February 10. It consists of a steellined gallery built within the area at the front of the building, and a converted part of the basement corridor, which has been provided with a locksheet steel ceiling. The gallery re sembles 'he latest type of shelter now being built on the European continent, and consists of loekslteet steel sections which, curving upward and locking into the form of an. arch. can withstand immense pressure. The gallery i s reinforced each end With brick and concrete and covered with sandbags to a depth of 2ft. Gin. Both refuges have been provided with air-locks to exclude gas, with splinter-proof doors, and with air-filtration plant.