BRITAIN'S PEACE MISSION.

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 71, 25 March 1935, Page 4

BRITAIN'S PEACE MISSION.

P cop I c land Pr ess-;, tfrtaft j mows..

Rugby. March 22 t The reception a c carded- Sir •• ■ John Simon's speech in the House of Commons" d'ebavttf* Indicates that the Foreign Secretary Mtf the support of all parties in his coming -tfiggfoir o£ gave* and conciliation.. Unanimous' newspaper'support-ir# also forthcoming. The "Daily Telegraph gays that the Vsit is recognised to be as momaniSouw as that of Lord Haldane in 1911, Like other n>wsp"asan». ' it welcomes the applauding words of General* Sinu't'fffor Britain's policy of going ahead with the\pea"c* • - mission despite the recent discouraging event* in Germany, but it warns Germany not to presume tb>o fa* on the supposed ignorance or indifference of the* British people. Citing a phrase from Sir Herbert■ Samuel's speech, "equality of status, yes - 'military predominance, no," it recalls Germany's complete misunderstanding of Eritish opinion in the decade before the- war and says that it would be tragic If she repeated the error, for, es Sir John Simon said, the alternative to a general agreement is a system of select and special combinations for assistance against the danger in our midst* The "Manchester Guardian* says that Sir John Simon made a.good case for the Government's attitude. He and Mr. Eden have a specific mission and what they will have to report to the promised con- . ference will mean much to peace. The "Morning Post" says that the unanimity disclosed in the House of Commons debate should greatly strengthen Sir John Simon* 8 hand in the coming discussions* If it turns out that Germany prefers to pursue her ambitions by., a policy of blackmail, rather than by resuming her place in the comity of nations, then thejrest of Europe will at least know where they are. The "Daily Herald" saye that two bases are essential for the building of a system which will guarantee European peace. The first is Germany's full equality of status, the second is that Germany shall take her place in the comity of nations, not with > arrogance and assertiveness, but with loyalty and readiness to contribute generously to the common task* The French and Italian Governments have been kept fully informed of all developments in connection with the visits to Berlin and elsewhere of the ■British Ministers and. a wide field-of European affairs f iwith particular reference to the approaching series : of .visits, .will be reviewed at the tripartite meeting in Paris tomorrow. Britain will be represented by |the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Anthony Bden, who arrived at Paris from London by alr'thie eyening. Signer ~ Suvieh will be the . principal representative and Monsieur Laval.will attend on b»half of Francs. On Sunday morning Mr. Eden£wi 11 -proceed to Amsterdm - by air in time to. join there^Sir John Simon and the. other members of the Briti'Slt" delegation, who are. flying to Berlin. It is anticipated that on the return of the British Ministers from visits to • Berlin, Moscow, Warsaw and; Prague, a second tripartite; meeting between Britain, France and Italy will be held, probably in North Italy for, .a review of the results of the exploratory discussions in Berlin. It is expected that Signor Mussolini will himself take part. If success-, which is-hoped for from the. Berlin, visit, is achieved, it may be considered useful to follow up the three-power meeting in Italy by furthef* conferences in which Germany and other interested Powers would take part. It is emphasised, however, in London that there is no foundation for the report, that German participation is contemplated in, the . purely Anglo-French-Italian meeting which is likely. . to follow the conclusion of the round of visits by the) British Ministers.

It is reported from Geneva that the President 'of the Council of the League of Nations, Monsieur , Aras, the Turkish Foreign Minister, has officially . convoked, the Council to meet early in April to .. consider the French communication in regard to the introduction of conscription in Germany., The^preciet) date of the meeting remains to be,fixed.'}