MR. GREENWOOD'S VIEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 50, 28 February 1945, Page 6

MR. GREENWOOD'S VIEWS

GERMANY'S CAPACITY AFTER

THE WAR

(U.P.A. and 8.0. W.) Rec 1 p.m. LONDON. Feb. 27. In the debate which followed the Prime Minister's speech on the Crimea Conference. Mr. Arthur Greenwood cLabour) congratulated Mr. Churchill on one of the most masterly speeches he had heard in his life. . Mr. Greenwood said the Prime Minister might take it from all the~ members that when he was 'right the House would always unanimously support him. Therefore, if his conscience was clear, he had no need to call for perpetual votes of confidence, Mr. Greenwood fully supported that section of the motion before the House on the defeat of Germany. Tlie destruction of the foul ideas of Nazidom did not necessarily involve the destruction of a people. It would be wrong to think of our problem in these terms. What was certain was that we must destroy any hope or opportunity of the German people in peacetime to develop a war potential. That did not necessarily mean impoverishment of the German people. This country,1 and, indeed, no country in the world. could profit by the impoverishment of 60 to 80 million people. But tlie fact that we must draw the second teeth of the Germans must still stand. % He did not believe this need involve crippling the Germans' peacetime capacity for peacetime production. It might be that there would be necessity to take a measure of international control. It should be made clear to the Germans after the warthat in no circumstances could the United Nations permit her to develop her capacity and resources which could in any circumstances be used for warlike purposes. Reparations was the only way to bring home to the people l of Germany the d-imes they had- com- • mitted and lo gel them to put right] •what they had put wrong. j 4 The "Big Three*' must not regard > themselves as overlords of Europe. He j did not think they should decide the' fate of small nations which did not | have the economic resources or mili-i tary power we had. I

"BRIGHT AND LIVING BEACON." .On the question of Poland, Mr.? Greenwood said he thought it was con- j trary to the principles of British jus-; tice for the fate of a nation to be \ decided in Us absence and behind its' back. There should be in eastern i Europe as a bright and living beacon a Poland which was free and independent, as a warning note against a' future aggressive Germany. He did not think the Polish Govern-; ment had been too .well treated by the British Government. "I really feel - that before the decision was taken; Poland might have been consulted/ he said. < Mr. Churchill interposed: "They are being consulted no\*." •-•. Greenwood, after saying that he snick to his point, welcomed the proposal for the San Francisco conference, but said that of the three great Powers Britain seemed to be the third.: He appealed for the establishment of. a world economic organisation as welii as a political organisation, as without i it they ?ould not prevent world re-1 , sources not being made available to! all without political consideration. : In conclusion, Mr. Greenwood said! ..-.that, the comradeship forged in the hour of common peril ought to be .strong enough to-sustain the strains' •ot peace. Unless unity was preserved into the days of peace Hitler would1 have won. the war, and in the hell mto which he deserved to go he would gloat over it. Sir William Beveridge said he had no hesitation m ■■supporting the Curzon Line as the basic boundary on the east, buc he did not feel happy about the suggestion that. Poland should be encouraged to extend -westward into C-erman territory other than east of Prussia and Danzig. He was opposed to the partition and dismemberment ot Germany indefinitely; Captain. McEwen (Conservative) said he refused, to agree with the arrangement made on the Polish Question, and if we stuck to the Polish LrOwjKnment in London we Would at . leasts have no cause "to,be ashamed If tS c- SaJ? ,that' ihat -would' have rehS_^c m plomatiq isolation-he .could only-say that y/e still had not learnt 'JSf n^fn °», oj! 1940-tbat it was a little thing lo stand alone if.we were coni*ijht ' V/e Were landing for what was - . The debate will be continued tomorrow and on Thursday. .•;.;