NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION LOST

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 128, 24 February 1938, Page 11

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION LOST

Heated Commons Debate Follows Mr. Eden’s Resignation PREMIER STRESSES WAR DANGER Twenty Conservatives Abstain From Voting gs jjy 'Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copy right. , (Received February 23, '5.5 p.m.) London, February 22. On behalf of the Labour Party, Mr. Arthur Greenwood moved in the House of Commons:— _ ’ ■ . . “The House deplores the circumstances in which Air. Eden has been obliged to resign, and has no confidence in the Government.” The motion was defeated by 330 votes to 168. Mr. W. S. Churchill, Mr. Anthony Eden and Mr. Harold Nicholson were among the 20 Conservatives who abstained from VOtl Speaking in support of the motion, Mr. Greenwood said that the League of Nations and collective security apparently had been abandoned and the Government was scuttling to the backdoor of a dictatorship State to make a deal behind the backs of friendly countries. The new policy was a policy of “scuttle.” The Prime Minister ought to say frankly that no loan had been granted to Italy. The only effect of a loan would be intensification of ,militarism. . , . Mr. Greenwood demanded a General Election, adding that it was the duty of Parliament to meet the people when there was a reversal of Government policy.

The fate of the world, said Mr. Greenwood, rested in the trembling hands of the Prime Minister, who stood for blind faith. His method would lead to anarchy, which must lead to war. Liberty could not be kept by base subservience to the ruthless will.of dictatorships. The Premier’s statement had shocked the moral conscience of the world.

Mr. Winston Churchill (Conservative) said it would seem to many to be an inopportune time for negotiations with Italy. The Dictator Powers were striding from strength to strength, and the Parliamentary democracies were retreating abashed and confused. The internal condition of Italy was causing Signor Mussolini anxiety, and it was easy to understand why the Italian Ambassador, Count Grand!, had been instructed to encourage talks with Britain. It was much less easy to understand why Britain should hurry so eagerly to the rescue. Here was a case where they ought to allow time to play a part.

“I believe Mr. Eden acted absolutely rightly,” said Mr. Churchill. “We shall be asked in the Italian conversations to give a lot, and there is little we can receive in return except cessation by Italy of the long and unprovoked action in which she has indulged against us.”

Mr, Churchill referred to the effect of “British humiliation” in the United States, and said they would have to make a.stand on some issue. “Pray God,” he added, “that we will not find that through unwise policy we have to stand alone.” All over the world, Mr. Churchill declared, friends of England were dismayed and foes of England exulted. He went on to express serious misgivings at the tendency of recent British policy toward Germany and Italy as exemplified in Lord Halifax’s mission, and lamented what he regarded as lost opportunities to assert the authority of law and right against might. These courses, he feared, confused friends and dissipated reserves of moral strength. Mr. Chamberlain Cheered. The. Prime Minister, on rising to reply, was cheered for two minutes. Mr. Eden entered the House. Mr. Chamberlain said he desired to be fair to Mr. Eden, but he wished to say in the preseneq of Mr. E'den that he had no recollection of Mr. Eden ever saying to him that the question of international good faith constituted an embargo on conversations either with Italy or with Germany. “The suggestion that we should enter upon conversations provided certain things are done first was humbug,” he declared amid Ministerial cheers.

It had been said that entering into conversations was a humiliation, and there had been talk of sacrifices to dictators and that he was going whining to Signor Mussolini, but guch jibes and taunts, he said, left him absolutely unmoved. “Those who have jibed,” he said, “do not realise the greatness of this country, which is strong and the head and centre of a great Empire, and to which millions look up for leadership.”

Labour members, who had frequently interrupted, here indulged in loud shouting, and the Speaker called them to order.

The Spanish’ Question.

Mr. Chamberlain: It is for a strong country to do what a weak qountry cannot afford to do, namely, show magnanimity. Continuing, he said that Mr. Eden on January 25 told French Ministers that the British Government was contemplating conversations, and discussed the subjects proposed. The French Government insisted that the discussions should include settlement of the Spanish question. Mr. Chamberlain said ho had told the Italians that that would be included, and he repudiated the suggestion that the Government ha J gone behind the backs of friendly countries, “If these conversations are to load, as we desire, not merely to an. improvement of Anglo-Italian relations but to a general appeasement all round the Mediterranean in which the French are particularly interested,”

he said, “we cannot possibly achieve success unless the French are with us from the beginning.” Discussing the League of Nations, Mr. Chamberlain isaid that as it was constituted at present it was incapable of affording collective security. “We remained in the League because If we left it might be reconstituted, and there is important work to be done.” He would not change a single article of the Covenant. 1 If the League threw off shams and pretences and declared what It was prepared to do and could do, its moral force would be multiplied immediately. Returning to- the question whether •Britain should conduct talks with those who differed with her or whose standards she did not approve, Mr. Chamberlain said that refusal would not bring peace.

“Month by month,” he_ said, “we have seemed to bo getting nearer war. There may come a time when 'someone occupying the Premiership will have to face again the awful responsibility of answering the question, ‘Will you plunge your country into war?’ Doesn’t an equally heavy responsibility rest upon the man who feels/ as I do, that if we do not take action we may presently be faced with that frightful question, but who feels that by taking action we may avert it? I should not be fulfilling my duty if I failed to take such action as I have done.” (Cheers.) Mr. David Lloyd George- (Ind. Liberal) said that Mr. Chamberlain was dealing with some of the most astute brains in Europe. They had broken every promise made to Britain, but Mr. Chamberlain said, “At least I have got a formula from them." Mr. Lloyd George added: "A man who is so dovelike is unfit to deal with Machiavellian dictators; he is only fit for a stained glass window.” Mr. Lloyd George referred to the millions of* people in all parties and without party association who looked to Mr. Eden for guidance and inspiration. Mr. R. J. G. Boothby (Conservative) described Mr. Chamberlain as playing for high stakes and urged the need of faith in his success. A Stormy Scene. Mr. Lloyd George aroused a very stormy scene in the no-confidence debate by declaring that Count Grandi’s message on February 20 was not produced at the afternoon’s Cabinet meeting. The Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, explained: “Count Grand! unofficially communicated the contents of the message early on Sunday, and communicated them to Cabinet.” Mr. Anthony Eden declared that the message was not received before his resignation. “Mr. Chamberlain told me that he had received the intimation, but did not disclose the source,” he said.

Mr. Eden added that in any event it would not have altered the position, Mr, Lloyd George said it was incredible that an important document had not reached the Minister, who felt so strongly that he was resigning. Mr. Chamberlain explained that he did not see the document until Count Grand! presented it on February 21. Cabinet Ministers demanded that Mr. Lloyd George should withdraw his implication against the Prime Minister, but Mr. Lloyd George refused. Mr. Chamberlain, confronting Mr, Lloyd George, demanded, “What is your implication?” Mr. Lloyd George: That with such issues involved the Prime Minister took no trouble to secure the document and that Count Grand! did- not trouble to deliver it because he wanted to get rid of Mr. Eden. False Suggestions. Mr. W. S. Morrison (Conservative), replying for the Government, said that all suggestions that the Ministers were trying to get rid of Mr. Eden were absolutely false. Cabinet, including the Prime Minister, made strenuous efforts to assist him and retain his great services. Mr. Morrison denied that there had been surrender to dictators. “There is a time when countries must stand up for what they tljink right, not only against dictators, but against spasms of excitement happening in democracies after momentous events,” he said.