NO CABINET PLOT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 110, 5 November 1935, Page 9

NO CABINET PLOT

DESTRUCTION OF LEAGUE

MINISTER DENIES CHARGE

(British Official Wireless.) (Received November 5, 11.15 a.m.)

RUGBY, November 4.

In a' speech in his constituency tonight the Foreign Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, referred to false state-

ments in circulation regarding the foreign policy of the Government, which he attributed to electioneering tactics. He- said he had already exposed three baseless stories—a story that the British Government had left the Italians in doubt as to its attitude, a story that he and Mr. Eden were not at one in their attitude to the League, and a story that there was a sinister motive behind his visit to Geneva. Now there was a fourth story with which he must deal, to the effect that Cabinet was plotting to destroy the League as soon as the election was over, and to go back to the system of separate alliances, and that they favoured a reformed League which would not be an instrument for preventing or ending war by collective action against an aggressor.

"I say with great deliberation that there is not a word of truth in these charges," said Sir Samuel.

"Cabinet has considered no plan of League reform, and is not sounding foreign nations on the subject. As to the fantastic suggestion that we are determined to deprive the League of its coercive power, what better answer could there be than that Mr.'Eden and I have been doing our utmost to strengthen the hands of the League and make its collective action really' successful?"

The Geneva correspondent of "The Times" indicated (according to a London cable published yesterday) that new British efforts are afoot to find a solution of the eternal Franco-Ger-man quarrel.

. He pointed out that when the pre> sent measures against Italy were decided upon the League's SecretaryGeneral, M. Avenol, circularised nonmember States asking for their comment. The German reply had not yet been received, but was expected to express willingness effectively to participate in collective action. Such willingness could only mean that Germany was ready to redirect her steps towards Geneva, but at a price. The correspondent suggested that the price might take the form of new assurances of security in Europe with Britain's I moral guarantee.