MIXED REACTIONS IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 205, 27 May 1944, Page 7

MIXED REACTIONS IN BRITAIN

Mr. Churchill’s Speech ATTITUDE TO SPAIN AND FRANCE (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) LONDON, May 25. The reactions to Mr. M inston Churchill’s speech on foreign policy in the House of Commons appear to be rather mixed. “The Times,” after reviewing with approval various points which the Prime Minister made, comments that it was “primarily European in scope—a restriction justified not only by the present critical hour iu the European war,'but also by the peculiar position which Europe must occupy in any future scheme of security, The “Daily Telegraph” says it win do or ought' 'to do two things, namely, -show what is the touchstone of our relations with other countries and Show our soldiers what they are fighting for ” The “Daily Express” is satisfied, saying: “No one can say,, after his masteny survey, that Mr. Churchill lacks a policy,” which it sees as, (1) .to win the war in such a thorough fashion that the military power of Germany and will, no longer be a constraint on the free* expression of the will of mankind, (2) develop the British Empire from the core of the agreement revealed at the conference of its Prime Ministers; (3) set up a new world assembly purged ot the -weaknesses of the old League of Nations and based not on the balance or power, but on unity of power of the great nations. , The “News Chronicle sees the speech as “a survey full of confidence,” and says that Mr. Churchill had “some, useful things to say on world organization, it adds that several passages will require very critical scrutiny and that Mt. Churchill went a long way out of his way to praise'General Franco. He even deemed it worth his while to jibe twice at those who still have memories long enough to remember how that . great Christian gentleman brought in hirelings of Fascism to use the bloody fields of Spain as a practice ground against the democratic Spanish people.” Question of Franco.

It is on this question of General Franco that the “Daily Herald fastened, saying: “The most remarkable feature of the speech was the flattering and almost fulsome tone of the reference to the rulers of Spain. He talks of the Franco Government as if it had been for years past a warm and considerate friend of the United Nations, always on the look-out for some way of doing democracy a good turn. General Franco’s blatant gestures of sympathy with Hitler are. not to be forgotten.” The “Daily Herald finds “striking contradictions” in regard to Mr. Churchill’s views on Spain and Italy, end asks why he made the strange remark: “As the war progresses it becomes less ideological in character.” It also inquires: “Was it in order to influence those who find it hard to forget the ideological excesses of Franco, or was it the Premier’s excuse for his hesitation to express in more than the vaguest outline a British view on the future shape of international organization?” The “Manchester Guardian says that the speech was “full of illumination and information, but lor all that was curiously unsatisfactory. It threw important light on the British view of the future of world organization, but so far as it exhibited an immediate policy it was one entirely of expediency. The ordinary man, it is to be feared, will scratch his head when he tries to find a common thread running through Mr. Churchill s references to Turkey, Spain, Greece, Yugoslavia, and Poland, aud above all to France.” ...... On Mr. Churchill’s suggestion that the war has become less ideological, the “Guardian” says: “It would be interesting to have the thesis developed, for most of us would rather have thought the contrary to be true —that while Russia may’ have become more tolerant the rest of Europe has moved toward the Left, the results of which can be seen in Yugoslavia, in the Greek forces in Italy, and most clearly in France. But here a blind spot occurs; except in France, the Allies have not in the long run stood obstinately against the trend. Toward France apparently Mr. Roosevelt, and Mr. Hull dictate a policy of coldness which is not justified by the evidence, and is in itself politically dangerous. It is hard to believe that Mr. Churchill's heart was in the laboured phrases with which he attempted to justify our refusal to recognize the French National Committee as the provisional Government.” The "Daily Mail” thinks Mr. Churchill is taking a common-sense view with Spain, but that the reason for not recognizing the ’provisional French Government is unconvincing, and says it is hard to see how any recognition of the committee would prejudice any subsequent wishes of the French people.

FRANKNESS URGED

Fascism In Overrun Countries i British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Muy 25. Mr. Arthur Greenwood (Labour) said: “There has been a disposition,during the war Io be a little less than frank with some of our great allies and io funk vital issues. I think it ought to be. made perfectly clear to our allies that we have a place in the world and a responsibility to the world which entitles us to the full respect of all nations, and therefore the sooner we can be perfectly frank the better.” Mr. Churchill had declared that we ought not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. But there were elements and aspects of Fascism in the overrun countries which ought to be destroyed if free life were to be obtained when the war is over, added Mr. Greenwood. Sir Edward Grigg (Conservative) said it had been suggested that the reason for the lack of recognition of the French Committee of Liberation was that it was provisional. But. every Government was going to be provisional till a General

Election was held. There could be no resurrection of western civilization without the co-operation and whole-hearted sympathy of Franco, .. Mr. L. Horc-Behsha (Independent Liberal) said we were now agreed on the setting up of a new world authority, but it would be based largely on the principles of the League of Nations. It would, however, start under much better auspices than last. time. It would have the sup port of the whole Empire, the United States anil Russia.,