DOING WITHOUT RUSSIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 117, 20 May 1939, Page 9

DOING WITHOUT RUSSIA

SUGGESTED ".DESIRE

SPEECH BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE

PICTURE "TOO GLOOMY"

LONDON, May 19.

The Soviet Ambassador, M. Maisky, was present when Mr. Lloyd George opened the Foreign Affairs debate in the House of Commons today.

Mr. Lloyd George said: "All this business about Russia proves that Britain does not know what, she wants. There is a great desire, if possible, to do without Russia, who:offered -to come into a pact months ago,- but we are staring a gift horse in the mouth, frightened of its teeth, yet not frightened of the teeth of the Beasts of prey who are rending dne independent country after another, at the very, moment when we are officially joining in the celebration of their carnivorous triumphs in Madrid. i

"The situation reminds me of the spring of 1918. Everyone feels that, a great attacl: is coming but no one knows wher^ the blow wilHall. The dictators are speeding up their armaments at an unprecedented rate in an atmosphere of secrecy.

"The^-way to keep out of, war is to assemble such a force (France, Turkey, and Russia) as will make the dictators realise that they cannot risk war without disaster. Germany's idea* now as always, is for a speedy decision. She would have achieved it in 1914 but for Russia. The moment she failed to achieve a speedy victory the game was up. GERMAN HOPE OF QUICK VICTORY. "The German military authorities are now working out a scheme for a quick decision oh land and by air and are enormously increasing the power of their submarines. They have 20,000 tanks armed with big guns and capable of travelling over any country with amazing speed. Germany,' possesses more bombers than Britain. "Germany will undoubtedly choose as the point of attack Poland's 1500----mile frontier. How can we send reinforcements? It is-impossible to redeem our pledge to Poland without Russia." "The Axis Powers have restlessly sought a vital strategic position, and practically command the Mediterranean, but wev can recapture it; Albania enables its possessor to command the Balkans."- ■..'. - Mr. Lloyd George added: "There hat been a campaign of detraction of Hus» sia's resources and of the capacity other leadership, and reluctance to admit that there have been tremendous changes militarily and industrially. Russia says she will come in on the same terms as Trance with the whole of her tremendous forces, provided we do «aot make insulting distinctions. The chances of war are now 50-50, and they. would be 10 to 1 against if the Government was courageous enough to join with Russia. \ The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. C. R. Attlee, accused the Government of taking a narrow view of British intests. • vDISCUSSION OF TEEMS FOR PEACE Speaking next, the Prime Minister confessed that he would prefer not to speak at this time of tension, anxiety, and suspicion. Every word of his would be examined air over the world under a microscope. He emphasised the necessity for a long-term peace policy in which the colonial question would have to play a part. Britain, however, was not prepared' to buy peace at the price of concessions which would lead to further demands, but this did not mean that he would refuse to ! discuss any method for satisfying rea- | sonable aspirations, even if it meant some adjustment of the status quo. Britain would not be backward ia stating the lines on which she would discuss terms for permanent peace if it was certain that there was no intention of aggression or of the further use of force in the relations between Germany and other countries. They would have to be certain that the concessions would not be used to bolster up some strategic aim against the liberties of others. Germany declared that she had no such intentions. Mr. Attlee was not alone in disbelieving her. The, German Government itself had brought about this position. / i Referring to Mr. Attlee's criticism, Mr. Chamberlain said that the greatest i British interest was the maintenance of peace. He described Mr. Lloyd George's pictures as too gloomy.