LEAGUE MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 9

LEAGUE MEETING

WORLD SITUATION

BRITAIN PREFERS DIPLOMACY

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received March 30, 11.40 a.m.)

RUGBY, March 29,

Britain does not favour the calling of a meeting of the League Council to consider the international situation, and prefers at the present time to conduct consultations upon issues arising from recent events through ordinary diplomatic channels as to whether there is to be a conference between certain States for the discussion of the possibilities of common action, as proposed by the Soviet. These points emerged in House of Commons answers by the Foreign Under-Secretary. The Prime Minister was asked by Mr. R. J. G. Boothby (Conservative) to give favourable consideration to a proposal for the summoning immediately of a conference of Powers whose interests lie in the preservation of peace in eastern Europe and for an assurance that the object of the diplomatic negotiations the Government is now. conducting was not merely a joint declaration on the part of the Powers interested in the maintenance of peace, but the conclusion of a definite pact of mutual defence against aggression. He confined himself, however, to referring the House to the statement he made in the House of Commons at question time yesterday. He added that the Government was in touch with the Soviet.

At another stage Mr. Chamberlain repeated the assurance already given that as soon as he had anything to report on the negotiations with other Governments he would give it to the House of Commons. The Government was fully aware of the urgency of the times, and as many of the matters under consideration were of a very complicated nature some time would be spent in making decisions and acting upon them.