FOREIGN POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1937, Page 5

FOREIGN POLICY

ME EDEN’S SPEECH AT LEAGUE ASSEMBLY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 20. In a speech at Geneva, tu the League Assembly Mr A. Eden (British foreign Secretary) said Britain desired nations to have greater economic opportunities, raising the living standard, and would help to that end if a lasting settlement of world difficulties, including the indispensable condition of an arms agreement could be reached. But well-being and standards of living would only be realised through economic co-operation, and the foreswearing of economic nationalism. He emphasised the importance of the consistent policy of the United States iu favour of a reduction of trade barriers. He recalled the steady increase in the percentage of the world’s imports accepted by Britain, as a result of which the outside world was obtaining sterling at the late of £292,000,000 more per annum from sales to the United Kingdom. British and United States imports represented nearly 30 per cent, of the world’s imports. An agreement between them rfyr which /preliminary studies were in train, would, through the effect of the most favoured nation clause, have most important results for the world. A re-armament programme was f.'.reed on Britain "by determination of the international situation. Britain had 450,000 tons of warships under construction. Her last three naval programmes represented an expenditure of 130 millions sterling. The naval personnel was being expanded at a rate without precedent in Britain in time of peace. The Air Force was being expanded and equipped with formidable results. The Army was growing in strength with ever-increasing momentum.

He said the League stood for the principle generally accepted in 1919, that war did not benefit either victor or vanquished. That remained the declared attitude o' Britain, who believed war was wasteful and futile. There was no dispute that could not be settled by pacific means. Britain was determined always to seek such a solution. The British Government was ready at any time to join in an agreement for a reduction or limitation in armaments, but until that time must be prepared to be ftble to defend herself and the British 'Commonwealth and carry out her international obligations.

Referring to the Span sh situation and non-intervention, Mr Eden sai'l ; hat some engagements entered into had not been kept. If this state oi affairs continued, it would be dangerous for the whole of Europe, li the 'policy of non-intervention in Sp/iim were abandoned, Europe would b<’ swept into deeper and more dangerous waters. Britain would spare no eri deavour to prevent war engulfing

Europe. Mr Eden said that all efforts by British and other third parties to avert hostilities in the Far East had failed. If co-operation had succeeded, an appalling loss of life would have been avoided, to say nothing of the harm done to trade. GERMAN DESIRE. (United Press Association —By Electro Telegraph—Copyright;. BERLIN, Sept. 21. Mr Eden’s offer to discuss a hovering of colonial tariff’s and his references to raw materials as a means oi economic, and political appeasement are received colly by Germany. r l he offer is regarded as definitely excluding the return of Germany’s colonies. The newspaper “Volkischer Beobaohter,” official Nnr'-i organ, relegates a speech on British policy delivered bv Mr Eden to the League of Nations Assembly to a paragraph in its back page. The paper devotes more than satisfied attention to the Spanish Government’s failure to got itself re-elect-ed to the League of Nations Council.