BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 June 1930, Page 3

BRITISH POLITICS.

INDIAN AND SOVIET QUESTIONS

(Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, June (5

Captain W edgwooti i.cim was asked in the House ol Commons whether he could state what sources were at the disposal ol the Government of India for the preservation of internal and external peace were sufficient. Captain Bonn said the answer was

Captain Heim then read the following statement regarding the situation on the north-west frontier of India:— “For some days past there have been reports of a lashkar of A'l’ridis -gather- : ng in Bara Valley south-west of Peshawar. Reports regarding the number of Hie lashkar have varied, hut is high a figure as 4000 have been reported. Their purpose is somewhat obscure, hut my information shows tlie lashkar consists largely of vouiir tribesmen without support of their < Ideas. As a whole my latest information ■onsists in a report from the northwest frontier province dated vesW'•>v, which shows Afridi tvihesumn. in "amjs of a considerable s're. visited

villages - at the mouth of the, Ruim T’llev within a mile or two of tin cantonment at Peshawar yesteiglamo’iiing. and urged villagers to io'n them in the attack on the cantonment ’’m villagers refused and Al'ridis rc-

‘■'mned west and south-west. They endeavoured to block the roads behind tlmni but the obstructions have been removed.

The Roval Air Force is .watching th retirement of the tribesmen, which i

being effected in parties of varyimstrepgth ranging from 30 or so to JO' l or 400 men.

There is no information yet of any ' :,: tary contact with the tribesmen but a particularly threatcn.iim er. campment of tribesmen in a tribal territory was attacked, from the an on the night of the 4th.” Captain Benn added a Peslmwn ■' movable column was reported to l» - clearing up an area south and southwest of Peshawar. Before the Commons adjounibd to1 -"' for the Wliitsun holiday, Sir Oliver Locker Lampson raised the quest on of relations with Russia.

Bir Austin Chamberlain, former f’eservative, Foreign Secretary said i‘ was rash of the first Labour Government of 1.924 to si"n the New Cky

"iition giving further recognition to 4 be 0.-ii’iet Government while ••fbrwere in open revolt. It was still rasher

sign the recent Second Conventim with .its formal recognition of Soviet and the do jure Government of Buis--bi when the- latter had not altered their attitude, and to resume diplnn 1 - atice relations on ’ agreeiir'iit. wlvic’ the Foreign Secretary at the time ne signed must have known was different ly interpreted in one way by him'scl 1 ' md in another by the Soviet Government.

Sb’ Austin Chamberlain pointed out bat the Foreign Secretary had given lie undertaking that the Soviet pro paganda would not bo tolerated in any form or at any time, but that propaganda had never ceased for a day. It was as active to-day as ever. Th r ' oign Secretary had allowed K solemn word to be treated with conT>inpt bv Government with whom h

'■•”1 established honourable relations and who had promised to refrain from ‘■'•is promtg^nda. The Soviet author-

*'\s boasted of tho action which Hen’prson had said he would not tolerate. Tho time had come when Mr Henderson ought to say whether he was going to keep the pledge he gave the 'nose. Was he going to insist on •• '■essation of this propaganda at home, mi India and elsewhereP Mr Henderspn replying, said the whole Liberal tarty or practically, the whole of it 'umnitted themselves just as definitely as the Labour Party at the general election to the essential importance of changing the policy of the late Conservative Government regarding recognition of Russia. The Conservat•ye Party were opposed to recognition »iid the Labour Party were in favour of ■t, and one would hotter begin by appreciating there was a big gulf between the parties. Did anyone try to norsnado himself that if one outlawed a country like Russia it had no effect anon Euro non nor world peace. He ■lid not think anyone would dare challenge that supposing the Labour Gov■'rninert had broken off relations with Russia there was no guarantee it would have altered the position respecting propaganda in the slightest. Tf m.i-dit■have stopped the flow of orders that were beginning to come in •mul which were likelv to come in. the •i increasing degree, in the next few months. He was not going to try to -"Miade the .Ptoufie that propaganda was not going on but lie had .to bring Mm propaganda home to the Soviet Government before he could take act-

Tf this, or any other Government •it this stage, with our present econo"Me position broke off relations with r, ”«sin on the question of propaganda, 'vMl'ci’t being satisfied that the Ruscii° n Government were responsible for 'n<-n*i*i n g or financing it, they would ”ot b" worthy of their position, and so f ar ns be was concerned, be would not '■<> nnv party to the Government taking spell a step. :, c the Government had responi'lilitv. and must consider Russia in r<'l"+>‘nns to world nence and Rri-

1 ‘“b t«oflo, they must be the judge, in n,o (ii-i Instance, of what bad oeeurr•l TUv bad moreover set up rnncli:,,er- : n connedi-'i with matter and having sot up machinery they