RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 261, 2 August 1939, Page 9

RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

Possible Policies Of Britain ATTITUDE STATED BY MR. CHAMBERLAIN i British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July .31. In the course of his speech in the debate on foreign affairs in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, said that the Dominions must be consulted before it could lie said whether Britain would denounce the Anglo-Japanese commercial treaty. Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker (Labour) suggested an immediate consultation with the object of parallel action with the United States denunciation of the trade pact. The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Butler, said that the Dominions must be consulted before an embargo was placed on war supplies to Japan. Replying to Mr. Noel-Baker, he repudiated a suggestion that Britain would not give further support to the Chinese currency. Ju ttie course of bis speech Mr. Chamberlain said: — “Another centre of unrest in the world is of course in the Far East, and there discussions are going on at present in Tokio on fhe position in the Tientsin concession. Those negotiations were preceded by agreement upon what is known as the formula which dealt with the , general background against which the later negotiations would proceed. “The formula was a statement of facts. It did not denote any change of policy, and it did not.denote recognition of belligerent rights on the part of Japan. It did not betray any British interest in China and did not purport or intend to surrender any rights belonging to third parties. Will Not Reverse Polley. “Let me say once again, although I think it is quite unnecessary, that this. Government will not reverse its policy in the Far Bast at the request of another Power, and I would add that we have uot been asked by Japan to do 6< >. “No doubt there are plenty of difficulties iu front of us in the delicate negotiations which are being carried on by our Ambassador. Not the least of these is the persistence of antiBritish agitation In North China carried on by people who are influenced, instigated, and controlled by the Japanese, and I am bound to say that if this agitation continues and if these attacks upon British interests and British rights in North China are to go on unchecked the British, Government will be obliged to take a very definite view of the situation. “It is quite clear that it would make a successful outcome of our negotiations —au outcome which is as much lu the interests of Japan as it is of this country—extremely difficult if not impossible. May we not. bear this in mind, that despite incitations and injurious incidents the real goal we have in mind is to find some just and equitable settlement of the struggle which is going on in China? Currency Questions. “I have been asked a number of questions about the handing over of silver iu the concession and the supporting of the Chinese currency. These are questions which are uot confined to Tientsin. They are larger questions and questions which do not affect only this country. It is perfectly certain, therefore, that we cannot discuss questions of that character without the fullest communication with other countries whose interests are equally involved with our own. , “Reference has been made, not unnaturally, to the recent action on the part of America. I believe that in general the object and aim of America is closely similar, but it does not follow that, each of us must do ( exactly the same thing as the other. " “We may find that different methods are appropriate in different cases, but the House may rest assured that this Government places the utmost importance upon collaboration where collaboration is possible and desirable with America, and that we will never fail to keep that Government informed, of all we are about to do. I am not going to say any more on that point.