FOREIGN POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 18120, 9 November 1922, Page 7

FOREIGN POLICY

- ■ - LORD CURZOH’S EXPOSITION. the first principle. CO-OPERATION WITH ALLIES. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 8. (Received November 9, at 11.5 a.m.) Lord Curzon (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), speaking in the city, said that there had been no plot or intrigue in regard to the late Government. He said that he was prepared to concede a great superiority of intellect to his late colleagues, but fie had not always agreed with the late Government’s policy. The manifesto issued on September 16 was issued without his knowledge. It was unfortunate in character and tone. There was no doubt! when they had a Prime Minister with Mr Lloyd George’s peculiar gifts that such a nan must exercise unusual influence on foreign affairs, but the general opinion supported Mr Bonar Law’s view that _ the work of the Foreign Office, which was largely expert work, must bo done by the department itself, subject to the control of the Cabinet, aiid the personal supervision of the Prime Minister. The charge that the Foreign Office claimed any special degree of privilege or immunity for itself, said Lora Curzon, was without foundation. All that the Foreign Office asked was that it should not" be interfered with by irresponsible amateurism, however brilliant it might be. Since he had been Foreign Secretary people had forgotten that he was a Conservative, who had striven for the honor of his country and the peace of the world. Britain s foreign policy was now the foreign policy of the Empire. Lord Curzon laid it down as a. cardinal principle that peace was only recoverable by common action on the part of the principal Allies who had achieved victory in the war. They could only settle the reparations problem and' the Near East question if France, Britain, and Italy acted loyally with each other. Lord Curzon said that ho had never initiated any line or policy in great affairs‘without immediately Informing France and Italy. He was not much of a believer in finesse or intrigue. He deprecated the dictionary definition of diplomacy, which described it as skill In managing international relations by adroitness and artful management, Britain’s strength lay in straightforwardness. In_ cooperation between France and Britain lay the security of the world’s peace. What this country desired to eschew more than anything else was a policy of adventurous jingoism, which was out of date.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

(Received November fi, at 11.40 a.m.) Lord Curzon, continuing, said that what we had to do was to get back to the conditions of mutual esteem existing between Britain and France before “the war. That was more important 'than any written document or signed fact. He would not he a party to evasion by Germany of any of her just obligations. He would not save her at the expense of our old ally, hut he would try to he fair between the two, and he was hopeful of arriving at that conclusion by peaceable means. He hoped to have the pleasure of meeting Signor Mussolini at Lausanne. Our friendship with America was_ a tradition and a principle of British policy. Lord Curzon said: “We shall par our' debt to America. The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Baldwin) will go to America, at the end of the yeah to conduct the negotiations which Sir Robert Horne was to have undertaken.” “T have not regarded the League of Nations,” said Lord Curzon, as merely a great conception too ideal for this world. It is a, practical body, and it is useful as an instrument to settle certain international disputes.” NEAE. EAST CRISIS. WORLD’S PEACE MENACED. “ NATIONALISM GONE WILD.” TURKISH ATTITUDE UNBEARABLE. LONDON, November 8. (Received November 9, at 11.40 a.m.) “ The position in the Near East at the .moment,” said Lord Curzon, “ constitutes a most definite menace to the world’s peace. The events during the last twenty-four hours have clealt a rather rude shock to the expectations arising from the Mudania. Conference and the proposed meeting at _ Lausanne. The policy of the Turks is one of nationalism gone wild. It is almost suicidal in character. The pretensions of the Turks cannot b© tolerated. They have not any conceivable justification. They are an affront to the Allies, and a challenge to Europe. There is absolute accord between the Allied generals and the High Commissioners on the spot. I trust that this unity, which has been ratified by the Governments concerned, will be maintained. Wo are prepared to maintain it. Wo are prepared to_ make our contribution towards its maintenance; hut if it is broken owing to no action of our own we shall he unable to support the burden alone.” Lord Curzon appealed to the country to sustain the Government in _a common act to strengthen its hands in defence of the honor of the flag. “Turkey,” he said, “must learn that there is* a limit to concessions. _ We cannot yield at the cost of humiliation or disgrace. Turkey must learn that the strength of Britain and the might of Europe are rocks against which she will hurl herself in vain.”—A. and N.Z. Cable.