SOVIET NOT SATISFIED

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 May 1939, Page 7

SOVIET NOT SATISFIED

WITH BRITISH PROPOSALS

MUTUAL PACT WANTED

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

(Recd. May 16, 1 p.m.). LONDON, May 15

Reuter learns from Russian, quarters in London that, the Soviet communication regards the British proposals as unsatisfactory, not going far enough, not even indirectly guaranteeing Soviet territory. besides leaving a wide gap between Poland and Finland, where the border States are not covered. No account is taken of the possibility of a direct attack against Soviet territory. Tlie Soviet presses for a pact of mutual assistance, covering both direct. and indirect attacks, not only upon the territories of guaranteed States, but of contracting parties.

SOVIET REPLY DELIVERED

MOSCOW. May 15

Tn the course of a long and cordial conversation. M. Molotov handed the British Ambassador (Sir William Seeds) the Russian reply to the British counter-proposals. The details are not disclosed.

QUESTIONS IN COMMONS.

(BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS-]

RUGBY, May 15

A further communication has been received by the Foreign Office from the Soviet’ relevant to the AngloRussian negotiations, and it is under t examination. The reply had not arrived when Mr. Chamberlain answered questions in the Commons.

The Prime Minister said he was unable to amplify Wednesday’s statement. adding that Lord Halifax would have an opportunity to pursue the conversations with the Soviet representative at Geneva. Mr. Chamberlain also answered a question relative to the attitudes of Poland and Roumania towards the Anglo-Russian negotiations, which, he said, were well-known to Britain, though they had not been given formal shape. He insisted that. it. would be inappropriate for him to disclose these views, all the more since the recent visits of M. Potemkin to Bucharest and Warsaw would have given an opportunity for an exchange of views between the Soviet representative and the two Governments. Mr. Butler was asked what were Britain’s obligations towards Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and whether, in the event of Russia being involved in war as the result of defending any of these States against, aggression. Britain was under an obligation to come to the aid of Russia.

Mr. Butler replied, “The Government is under no obligations to these States, except such as they may derive from their membership of the League of Nations. I can add nothing to Mr. Chamberlain’s statement on the progress of the Anglo-Soviet discussions.”

Canada, and perhaps have travelled miles to do so.”

BRITISH EMBASSY CRITICISED.

NEW YORK. Maj* 15

The “Daily News” Washington correspondent states that there has been vex-y little in the way of blandishments or flattering artifice at the British Embassy, as preparations are made for the arrival of Their Majesties.

The correspondent criticised the so cial arrangements fox* the visit.

THE FIRST WELCOME.

(Recd. May 16. 2.25 p.m.) QUEBEC, Maj* 15

The Associated Press special correspondent says that Their Majesties received their first welcome from Canada shortly before 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, when the Canadian destroyers Skeena and Saguenay, with a rendezvous at the entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, sighted the Empress of Australia. The destroyers moved into position with the cruisers Southampton and Glasgoy*. to escort the liner for the remaining 540 miles to Quebec. The Empress of Australia is expected at midnight on Tuesday, and will anchor off the lie of Orleans, a little below the city, until the morning. She will then proceed to Wolfe’s Cove. This historic spot, where in 1759, General Wolfe climbed the height?,, to win Canada for Britain on the Plains of Abraham, will be the scene of Then* Majesties’ landing, at 10 a.m.

PRINCESSES’ DAY OUT

LONDON, May 15

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose had their first ride in the London tube, while visiting the Y.W.C.A. headquarters, accompanied bj* their governess. The Princesses inserted pennies in an automatic machine and watched the tickets emerge, wide-eyed.

No passengers appeared to recognise the Royal party, who travelled in an ordinary third-class compartment.

EQUALITY OF STATUS.

BRITISH COMMON WEALT 11

(Reed. Mav 16, 10.30 a.m.) QUEBEC, May 15. ■The- Kina’s piesence in Canada will threw intobold relief the positions of the nations of the British Commonwealth in relation io one another, and ]iarti< ukii ly their equality of status, says a special correspondent ci’ the Australian Associated Press All the State Acts during the Royal visit will disclose- that the King holds exactly the same relationship to the Dominion Parliaments and Dominion Ministers as he holds to the Parliament and Ministers of the United Kingdom. This is in accordance with the Statute of Westminster, under which Great Britain and the Dominions are defined as autonomous communities within the Empire, in no way subordinate to one another though united by common allegiance Io the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

From the moment. His Majesty sets foot on Canadian soil, to be met by the entire Cabinet, his position as King of Canada, acting with respect to Canadian affairs, upon the advice of his responsible Canadian Ministers, will be made apparent. His Maj-

esty has not brought, a Minister from the United Kingdom. He will be accompanied throughout his tour by ie Prime Minister (Mr Mackenzie King , who will act as Minister-in-Attend-ance, in the full Constitutional sense. A proposal that the Canadian Cabinet should share this honour was dropped, because, in the Canadian Government .the Prime Minister is also the Secretary of External Ail airs, and in view of the international situation it is essential that the King should be kept, in the closest contact with developments abroad, from Whitehall It. will be Mr Mackenzie King’s duty to sec- that important, dispatches are communicated to His Majesty, and opportunity given to discuss them. Parliament, is unable to complete its business in time to allow His Majesty to prorogue it. This would have been the first time the King had performed this Royal function outside Westminster. However, while in Ottawa, His Majesty may attend a sitting of the Senate, and give the Royal Assent to certain Bills,