BRITAIN'S NOTE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1927, Page 9

BRITAIN'S NOTE

REPLY TO RUSSIA

BROKEN AGREEMENTS

SIR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN'S

REPLY

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, 3rd March.

A debate on Anglo-Russian relations was initiated ia the House of Commons by Sir Archibald Sinclair (Lib.), who declared that British interests in Russia were peace and trade. In many Russian industries a revival was being witnessed, and he urged strongly against a rupture of relations with Russia at this juncture.

Sir Robert Home (Con.) referred to the fact that it was he himself who, in 1921, made the Trade Agreement with Russia, and that he was supported in doing so by Mr. Lloyd George, who was then Premier. He declared that he made the agreement believing that Russia, with its vast resources, was fitted to revive the economic fortunes of Europe. He was not ashamed of his effort, but ho confessed that all his hopes had failed to be realised. Ho did not believe that British trade would suffer at all by breaking off relations with Russia.

Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, Labour leader and former Foreign Secretary, contended that the diplomatic relations between Britain and Russia from the year 1921 to the present had never given, the Trade Agreement a proper chance. He said he was glad the Foreign Secretary had sent the Note to Russia. Since he himself left office lie had been repeatedly asked what he would do. lie had no hesitation in saying that if he had been in office it would have been sent a good long time before it was sent. He thought it would have been stiffcr in substance. But he hoped the Government had at present no intention either of abrogating the Trade Agreement or of severing relations. He suggested that the specific points made against the Soviet Government should first be argued, reasoned, and negotiated upon. THE BRITISH NOTE. Sir Austen Chamberlain, Minister of Foreign Affairs, took note with satisfaction and gratitude of the repetition by Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald of thoso principles of international relations which he inserted into the Note, which he sent to the Soviet Government as one of his last executive acts when he was Premier and Foreign Secretary. Ho noted also that Mr. Mac Donald directly approved tho action of the present Government in sending the Note now. Referring to the daily propaganda of the Soviet Government, which, he said, singled out tho British Empire as the particular mark and object of their animosity and ill-will, Sir Austen said: "If we had had to consider nothing but our own domestic situation, our own interests as.affected by the Trade Agreement or by tho exchange of diplomatic relations, I don't think I should have waited so long before asking my colleagues to take tho action which Mr. Mac Donald clearly indicated ho was prepared to take and would take if those provocations continued." The Government had had to tako a wide view. They had felt that a breach with Russia, once relations with her hud started, must have its reaction on other countries. If action had been taken before tho world had been shown what was the provocation it would havo had a very disturbing effect upon the European situation. Tho Soviet Government ha;? sought to convince other countries that tho policy of His Majesty 's Government was to stir up troublo and to uso them as the instrument of anti-Soviet policy. Nothing could bo further removed from tho truth. Whonovor ho had spoken to the representatives of any foreign country upon this subject ho had always told them that good relations between thorn and their neighbours would bo wolcomc to tho British Government, for any improvement in their relations served the policy of tho British Government, which was v . policy of peace. Everybody knew that Soviet Russia did her best to prevent tho Treaty of Locarno from being Bigued, to persuade Germany not to rcsumo friendly relations with her western or enstovn neighbours, and that they did their utmost to pcrsuado Germany not to come, into the League <iti Nations, but to remain outside with Soviet Russia. " You cannot have, whatever tho provocation, a sudden broach botween this country and Russia without, a repercussion on the whole European situation. It was for that reason that I urged upon tho Government' iialienco and forbenraneo under circumstances of continued provocation such as wo have never ondured at tfiohands of any other nation: But I havo always felt, and always know, that thero are limits beyond which forbearance cannot be carried. We had no desiro, and wo make no attempt, to intorfore with tho Soviet Government within their own boundaries. Wo have carried on no diplomatic campaign against them in any part of tho world. Wo have lived up to not merely tho letter but to the fullest spirit of tho mutual engagement which we undertook with them. What wo ask of them is not that they shall change their domestic institutions, not that they shall refrain from preaching to their own peoplo that their own institutions are superior to thoso which aro preferred liy tho rest of tho world, but that they should make their policy conform to the ordinary comity of tho League of Nations and abstain from efforts to promote world revolution and from all intorferoneo in our internal affairs." COMPLAINT ABOUT ACTS. Sir Austen Chamberlain concluded: "It is not merely a verbal acceptance that we look for or that we can accept. It is acts of which we complain, and it is to acts in future that we must look, to boo. whether thero is to bo redress for theso long series of outrages on our patienco and forbearance which tho British Government, this country, and tho Empiro havo shown are involved and no longer possible of continuance. His Majesty's Government reserves to itself tho right to judge both of tho expediency of any step it conlomplaes and tho moment when that stop shall be taken. Wo havo thought, before we proceed to any extremity, that it was right to call the world to witness Die serious nature of the complaint which wo have, ftnd to givo the Soviot Government one more opportunity of conforming their conduct to tho ordinary rules of international life and comity."