AVOIDING WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 61, 14 March 1939, Page 9

AVOIDING WAR

BRITAIN'S COURSE

RECENT HISTORY

SAFEST LINE ALWAYS FOLLOWED

(Brltisli Official Wireless.) (Received March 14, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, March 13/ The Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, in a speech at Sunderland, expressed his considered opinion that there had been no occasion dur* ing the past few years when British! policy on a major international issue could have followed a different lina from the one it had followed without grave risk of leading to a majo? European war. He spoke strongly of a suggestion, that Britain's action regarding Minorca constituted intervention in the Spanislt civil war. It was nothing of the sort The invitation to facilitate discussion between the opposing sides was a tribute to British impartiality, and Britain acted as it did to save human life. Lord Halifax added that the recognition of General iFranco did not mean approval of the form of the Government recognised. General Franco's Government commanded the allegianca of the great majority of the inhabitants of Spain, and thus was an authority with which other Government* must have official contacts. Britain, while working steadfastly for peace, would continue to take whav ever steps were necessary to give tha country strength and self-confidence as circumstances demanded.