BRITISH POLICY IN FAR EAST CRITICISED

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1947, Page 3

BRITISH POLICY IN FAR EAST CRITICISED

LONDON, May 18. When the foreign affairs debate was continued in the House of Commons, to-day, Mr. W. Fletcher (Conservative), said: “A rubber curtain had been drawn over Japan. It is iron curtain. You can lift one cornet so rigid or unmannerly as the ner of the rubber curtain but in a you get only a grimpse of what is very few minutes it snaps back and behind.”

Mr J. Paton (Labour) said the Foreign Office had adopted a defeat ■* ist attitude over the Far East. There had been a tendency to accept future United States dominance in the Pacific and a belief that Britain will have to play a subordinate part. Mr. Rees Williams (Labour) said American interference in China during the past 10 years, which was partly business and partly sentimental, had been reinforced by the Americans’ dread of Communism. The Japanese had taken to Japan from British possessions large quantities of tin, rubber and lead which belonged to private individuals. Those goods had since been taken to the United States. No compensation was made and there was no authority for such action in international law oxnatural justice. .Mr. Bevin said he hoped it would be possible to conclude an eax-ly peace treaty with Japan. Britain would keep in close touch with the Commonwealth Governments about this Britain had taken the initiative in organising the prevention of famine;; in South-east Asia and the Far East, and prompt action in Indonesia had. saved millions of lives. Britain had a liaison mission in Japan and representatives all over China. _Mr. Bevin said he was happy to e'ndorse the tributes paid to General., MacArthur.