SPEECH BY MR. EDEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 133, 2 December 1944, Page 7

SPEECH BY MR. EDEN

ERADICATION OF NAZISM

Rec. 11.10 a.m

RUGBY. Dec. 1

Several aspects of British foreign policy were discussed in the House of Commons by Mr. Anthony Eden, replying to points raised in the Address in Reply debate.

Referring to the future of Germany, he said, "The first factor we have to remember in deciding upon plans and policy for her future is that in the German character the unquestioned authority of the State is what counts, for most Germans belong to the State and the State does not belong to them." There was no sign of that in this country, he added. The' Germans believed in the destiny of their race to dominate Europe. In the younger generation, particularly in those between 16 and 25, this problem was the most serious of all. Real efforts would have to be made and much time would have to be devoted before that feeling could be eradicated from that generation. If it were not eradicated we should be at the, mercy, so far as Germany was concerned, of any . other Hitler that might come along. The past year, said Mr. Eden, had been one of continuous labour in the International field, and during that lime our relations with our three ijreai allies—the United States, Russia, and France—had steadily improved. A fundamental truth was that if these four nations stood together until victory was won, and afterwards, there was no problem which they could not solve. If they did not, no matter what international machinery might be set up, it would not work at all. PROMOTION OF UNITY. The main task of our diplomats in the last two years • had been to promote unity, he said. There was only one way in which the war could with certainty be prolonged, and thai v.-as ii the enemy were able to discern and proclaim any division between the Allies. Mr. Eden said he had been asked what were the aims of our foreign policy. They were threefold: the first was victory—that meant continuance of unity in the great coalition; secondly, order behind the lines of our armies: and thirdly, fair and untrammelled election of governments, dynasties, and Parliaments alike. Mr. Eden then dealt with a point raised by Labour members that the British Government leaned in international politics more to the Right than to the Left. He said: "In trying to pursue our policy in the state of confusion and tension such as Europe is in now, we are really not dominated as a Cabinet by the desire to set up any particular government of the Right in this place or a government of the Left in the other. We have discussed these matters in the War Cabinet. We have never once discussed them on the basis that there was someone of the Left who ought to be helped or someone of the Right who ought to be helped. What we try to do is to give countries the best chance we can of. expressing their own will 'and in their own way, freely, and whether that expression of will is in the end for the Right or for the Left makes no matter."—B.O.W.