BRITISH GOVERNMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21581, 29 November 1933, Page 9

BRITISH GOVERNMENT

HOME AND FOREIGN POLICY SPEECH BY MR BALDWIN Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 28. In the House of Commons Mr Stanley Baldwin, replying to the whole of the debate on the Labour amendment to the Address-in-Reply, reviewed alt the financial measures that the Government had taken, resulting in a return of confidence, which two years ago seemed impossible. Unemployment had steadily declined and British imports and exports were rising. He admitted that, despite ail the efforts to assist industries, there must be a number of citizens for whom there was little hope of finding work in Britain, and the gates of emigration were still closed against them. Turning to foreign affairs, he said that the present conditions were extraordinarily difficult. He believed the people of Britain were agreed that they could not keep any other country permanently in an inferior armament status. He hoped there would be a real change in Germany. That country was faced with vast internal problems, with vast masses of unemployed, and she needed peace. Did she want it? He hoped so. Britain, France, and Italy must keep in direct touch and find lines on which progress could be made. He saw no reason why Germany should not ultimately be brought to final agreement within the four corners of a convention and back to the League, facilitating the ideal of disarmament, which all wanted but few believed possible in the immediate future. Of the French he would merely say that they and we were inheritors and possessor of a great civilisation. “If what we have were lost, in my view, the world would not be worth living in.” Mr Baldwin concluded: “The Government is in every way, carrying out its election mandate. We are not haltway through, but have made considerable headway. We bare no idea of separating or of relaxing our efforts until we feel that we can return the mandate and seek a renewal of the electors’ confidence.”

The Labour amendment was defeated by 424 votes to 53.