EMPIRE UNITY

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 115, 11 November 1935, Page 9

EMPIRE UNITY

BRITAIN IN CRISIS

DOMINIONS AT GENEVA

MINISTER GIVES THANKS FOR. HELP

LESSONS OF TESTING TIME

(ISritisb Ottlcial Wireless.)

(Received November 11, 11.45 a.m.)

RUGBY, November 9.

The annual Lord Mayor's banquet to was held at the-Guildhall tonight, re and was attended by representatives of all sections of administrative, re- w ligious, social, and business life, ni i'Owing to pressure of other engage- jhi ments, the Prime Minister was un- T able to attend, his place being taken lo by Sir Samuel Hoare, Foreign Secretary. G •■' In the course of his speech, Sir l ; Samuel reviewed the events of the ' year and remarked that never had the citizens of London shown to greater advantage their loyalty and affection for M that bond and symbol of Empire, the Crown, than in the period made illus- m trious by the Silver Jubilee, two Royal sa weddings, and the birth of an infant ge Prince. Passing on to a survey of Home affairs, he attributed the general recovery, of which there were many signs, to two elements of prosperity, credit and confidence, for the restoration of which stable Govern- q, meht was essential, but which was due w most of all to the good nature, common- c sense, and courage of the ' British ni people. ' in WHOLE WEIGHT FOR PEACE. t]' Proceeding, he dealt with the British c Government's attitude in face of the cc foreign crisis. -"We have our di word in the Covenant and we are jl' bound to keep it," he said. "We' had jjj raised our voices against the doctrine ra of force, and we could not abandon cl friends of peace. We had a great in- w fluence in the world, and it would have been a miserable abdication not to "' exert it. It was in these circumstances' sl that I tried to give the League and SI to give the world as simply and as plainly as I could'the British point of s< view. It matters not whether I failed c( or whether I succeeded, it matters not " that many others would have accomplished the task with greater brilliancy and effect. The fact remains that the .. opinion that I was expressing was, and is, the opinion of the great majority , of my fellow-countrymen. They are , determined to keep their word to Europe, and the world. They are de- ° termined to join in any honourable attempts that will bring the Abyssinian 1 war to an end. They are determined to throw the whole weight of their c country into the scales of world peace. 1J This is the attitude of the British S people and an attitude that will not V. change with passing circumstances, geo- p graphical variations, or electoral de- i cisions. Soberly and steadfastly we intend to carry out our obligations wherever they exist, and to strive for peace wherever peace is threatened. This is our policy. It is simple and clear. It has not changed since my speech at Geneva, nor will it change after the election." NECESSITY FOR DEFENCE. j The_ obligations imposed strenuous t commitments,'' he' continued. To de-1 fend the cause of peace Britain must T be able*to defend herself, to take her r. full part in any collective action. There f were gaps in the wall—the result of i an honest and laudable desire to give P the world a lead on the road towards disarmament. In the conditions of to- t day the country could not allow those $ gaps, to remain. "Among the. Governments of the world that are long- * ing for peace," he said, "there is not * one that would not heave a sigh of I relief when they saw the peaceful A forces of the British Empire re-equip- l ped and reinforced for full perform- ' ance of their duty to the world." The 3 Government would go forward with * greater courage and assurance from ; the fact that in the efforts for peace ] Britain had a solid and unanimous Em- ! pire at her side. " ' "Has any feature of this crisis been more remarkable than the solidarity ( of the British Empire?" he asked. i "Never in the history of the Empire • has there been greater unity in foreign politics. Mr. Eden and I could never have carried out our work in Geneva if we had not had constantly at our ] side the representatives of the Dominions and of India to give us their ' wise advice and steady support. Time after time the representatives of Dominions gave the League invaluable help. Day after day it was made clear to the world that the policy for which we stood was not a policy of transitory government in this small island, but the considered and abiding judgment of the whole British Empire." INDIA AND EGYPT. In expressing thanks for this help and co-operation, he referred in particular to the assistance of the distinguished delegates from. British India and the India of the Princes. The year 1935, he proceeded, would "stand out in history as the year in which the Parliament of Great Britain created a federation of India. Let us all wish success to the new India, whatever may be the views that some of the critics may have held as to details of the India Bill. Now that the Constitution is on the Statute Book let us all, whether here or in India, strive to make it a great and lasting success." As to the attitude of foreign countries everywhere, whether in States Members of the League or in States that stand outside the League, there was an earnest desire to uphold the cause of peace and to shorten the duration of the Abyssinian conflict. "It seems indeed," he said, "lhat certain States that are not Members of Hie League, acting spontaneously, and independently approaching the issue it may be from different angles, and adopting their own methods, are reaching for themselves some at least of the same broad conclusions that have been reached by us. Action moreover, of a similar kind has been taken by a country with which we have long had the closest relations, the rich and ancient land of Egypt. Egypt has spontaneously and "willingly come out on the side of world peace. Her action makes all the more welcome the visit of the Prince of El Said, heir to the Egyptian throne. It is our earnest hope and desire that his visit will not only afford him profit and pleasure, but strengthen the ties of friendship and common interest that so closely unite our two great countries. I am glad to think that recent events have emphasised these friendly feelings and common interests. ANGLO-EGYPTIAN CO-OPERATION. "There have, however, been in certain quarters suggestions in a contrary sense. It has been alleged that his Majesty's Government wishes to use (he present situation in order to advance its own at the expense of Egypt's interest. This is not true. His Majesty's Government has been doing its best to promote friendly co-opera-lion between the two countries in their mutual interest. Egypt has now to our