INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 February 1936, Page 7

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

Economic Ills Cause of War

. A CIRCLE OF TEAR <" _____ (By Telegraph-Press As3n.--Copyright) (British Official Wireless.) KUGBY, Feb. 5. In the House of Commons this afternoon, Mr George Lansbury (Lab.), former leader of the Opposition, moved a resolution in favour of summoning through the League of Nations an international conference ••'-> deal with economic factors which the claimed was responsible for the world-wide preparations for war, such as the necessity for access to raw materials and markets and for migration.

Mr Lansbury declared that he had no faith in any system which relied on force. When war broke out it was impossible to preserve any balance of fairness to opponents. Nations lost, all sense of right and wrong, and when at last a settlement was reached by force it was always such as sooner or later had to be reviewed and modilied. The economic condition of the ■world should be brought under review. He was not proposing to share out the Britisli Empire. He wanted an entirely new conception of world unity under which the raw materials of the world would be organised by an niternational authority for the service of all the nations of the world. If Gov■ernments could co-operate and organise to destroy, surely it should be easier to join in carrying out this human proposal. Action Before It Is Too Late After a Conservative amendment had been moved expressing confidence tnat the Government would take all p-ie-ticable steps to promote international prosperity and : a better understanding between the peoples, Mr D. Lloyd George (Ind. Lib.) spoke in support of the proposal for an international conference to consider raw materials and colonial problems. After a review of the disappointment in recent years of the hopes founded on the Locarno Treaties and the Paris Peace Pact, lie referred to the recent increases in world armaments and to the situation of tension, uncertainty, and menace that they created. He said that two great countries in Europe were apprehensive of encirclement: —Germany and Russia. Germany was frightened of Russia and France, and Russia was frightened of Germany and Japan. Was it not possible to break this circle •of fear before it was too late? Elsewhere economic considerations were of great importance. Mr Lloyd George mentioned Japanese action in the Far East and Italy's resort to war in East Africa. He was not in favour of giving away bits of the British Empire, but in the course of a review of the colonial problem suggested reconsideration of the distribution of League mandates. Regarding German claims, he aaid they should not be ignored because of unfortunate or foolish speeches by certain German leaders. He asked the Government to consider if the time had not come when the •nations should be summoned together .and asked to put their cards on the table and say what it was they wanted. Mr L. M. S. Amery (Con.) thought that Ihe proposed conference would be foredoomed to futility. What hope was there of any of the Powers coming to a conference prepared to surrender territory or to alter their economic policies?

Government's Attitude The Government reply was made by the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Lord Cranborne. He said that the Government was not in disagreement with Mr Lansbury. If they differed, the differences were of degree •and of faith rather than of substance. All people view with grave concern the preparations being made for war. If Great Britain—the last of all »a tions to do so —was reconsidering the state of its armaments it was not be cause it wanted to go to war, Din with a view to strengthening the forces of order against the forces of disorder. But if the situation changed and an opportunity came for all-round reduction of armaments the Govern ment would grasp it with both hands. Referring to Sir Samuel lloare's pronouncement at Geneva on the raw materials problem, Lord Cranborne said that the Government still believed that international discussion or these issues would be immediately valuable, but could anyone say that, the time was quite ripe for discussion of these complex questions? They must, avoid a repetition of the disastrous failure of the 1<)o3 International Monetary and Economic Conference. After further debate, Mr Lansbury's motion was defeated by 22S votes to 127 and the amendment was carried by 207 votes to 125.

Stronger Security

RESTORATION OF HABSBURGS

PARIS, Feb. 5. Official circles consider that European collective security has been strengthened as the result of conv" sations of kings and statesmen who "tpok the opportunity of paying their .respects-fo the French Government" on their way back from King George's funeral.

The climax to the talks was a meeting between M. Flandin, French Foreign Minister, and Prince Starhemberg, ViceChancellor of Austria, who is reported to have given assurances that Austria is ready to sign agreements with the little Entente stipulating that no atrtempt will be- ma'de to restore the

Habsburgs without the good will of Austria's neighbours. M. Flandin was thus able, in a subsequent conversation with Prince Paul, to allay Yugoslavian suspicions concerning u llabsburg coup, which Prince Paul reiterated would not be acceptable to his count rvmen.

A member of the Archduke Otto's household stated that the archduke would return to Austria only when freely invited and then only with the full approval of the great Powers, and would do nothing to interfere with Austria's future prosperity. Balkan Pact Peace discussions on the Bvilkan Pact were not so successful. P "e Starhemberg indicated that Austria still attached vahfe to Italian support, though it hoped to count on the Littie Entente in a real emergency. King Boris of Bulgaria plainly told M. Flandin that Bulgaria was unable to join the Balkan Pact at the cost or abandoning territorial claims in Yugoslavia. King Boris, however, emphatically supported the principle of collective security within the framework of the League.

Rumania is equally anxious that the powers and obligations of Article 10 should be precisely understood and respected. King Carol told newspapers: "I am certain that my visit has resulted in stronger Franco-Rumanian friendship. The conversations of King Boris, Prince Paul and myself have helped the good relations of the Balkan Powers. I feel that King Edward's wide experience will help the cause of peace in Europe."