BOLSHEVIK RUSSIA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1680, 20 November 1919, Page 5

BOLSHEVIK RUSSIA.

THE BRITISH POLICY.

DEBATED BY THE COMMONS',

WHAT LLOYD GEORGE SAYS

By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.

Australian-New Zealand Cable Association, LONDON, Nov. 17.

In ■ the House of Commons, Lord Robert Cecil said that Bolshevism had been a regime of atrocious, cold-blooded murder and outrage, and one of the most brutal and bloodiest despotisms that had ever stained history. Armed foreign intervention was .absolutely impossible. Ho hoped that Deniken and Koltchak would abandon the Moscow expedition and reorganise the territories already occupied, establishing a sta ble government. This would speedily have an overwhelming moral effect upon their Bolshevik neighbours. Lord Cecil urged the Government to be absolutely clear and definite, not d'-playing ambiguity or vacillation. Mr Henderson re-stated Labour’s position, emphasising its opposition to intercom tion in Russia, and declared that the Allies’ policy had strengthened the reactionary efforts. Ho appealed to the Government to withdraw their material support from Koltchak and Deniken. Colonel Ward pointed out that the question of intervention or non-intervention did not affect Britain alone. He said that Koltchak was a democrat. Britain went to Russia for her own purposes, and thereby saved the lives of perhaps hundreds of thousands of her own men. Our solo aim in going to Russia was to save our men, and wo made promises accordingly. Therefore, we oughtinot now to repudiate them. Capt. Ormsby Gore deplored the delay in making peace with Turkey. Ho said that half the trouble in Egypt to-day was duo to this continual delay. Until a definite statement was made as to whether Lord Milner’s Commission was or was not going to Egypt, agitations there would continue. “If>wo do not intend to evacuate, let us say so, and make it quite clear that we intend to be masters there.” Mr Balfour commented upon the remarkably small differences revealed as regards Russia None had suggested a clear-cut policy, although the Government was criticised' for not possessing one. Mr Balfour pointed out that our difficulty in regard to Turkey was that wo were unable to say exactly what we desired to do there. That would'be unfair to our Allies. There must be a common Allied policy; nevertheless it was a profound misfortune for all the populations in the Near East that the Peace Conference had not settled their future. It was not Britain’s fault, but was due to the fact that America had notgivonacUa lead of her own policy. Until that was done, it wasvmpossiblo to lay down a cor • mon policy of all the associated Powers, of which America was one of the most important. It was also true that tho prevailing Turkish unrest was doing infimto harm, making it more difficult every day to find a satisfactory solution. BOLSHEVISM UN DEMOCRATIC. Replying. Mr Lloyd George said that he was glad the debate had shown that all were agreed as regards the horror ,of both tho practice and principle of Bolshevism. It was undemocratic and did not represent freedom. He emphasised this by quoting from the Bolshevik proclamation stating: “We raised the standard of .discipline m tho army, and must now raise labour discipline." This proved that tho Bolsheviks notion of freedom for the working classes was compulsory labour. The Premier defended his description of Bullitt s dis■closures as a tissue of lies. It was an obligation of honour to help the men who had assisted to reconstruct tho Eastern front against Germany. We had fully discharged that obligation, but there wore others ol the Allies who were in a belter position to support Koltchak. than ourselves, and any. failure there had been did not lie at outdoor. We had helped Deniken, and the policy was successful. Tho > regions of the Don and Ukraine wore anti-Bolshevik, but it was clear'that whenever the armies marched into Central Russia beyond a certain point they failed, though none could say what Central Russia wanted. Britain however, , could not finance civil war m Russia indefinitely. Our first, concern was for our own country, where the shortest road to Bolshevism was _ financial bankruptcy. Britain had contributed more than any other country to tho anti-Bolsheviks. She had contributed more than Franco, Japan and America combined. Ho boasted of our action in this connection; because it. was to meet an obligation of honour. France and Britain had come to a similar view, namely, that tho Government could not burden the taxpayer further in respect to operations in Russia. The present duncutties were due to tho fact that Koltchalc and Deniken were fighting for a re-united Russia whereas Esthonia, Latvia and Lithuania were fighting for independence, while other great anti Bolshevik forces were fighting for a local independent nationality. Therefore it was most difficult to lay down a policy.” Ho pointed out that those favouring intervention in Russia were opposed to intervention in Armenia and vice versa. Mr Lloyd George added further, that tho Gormans were still in the Baltic Provinces. They must bo cleared out, otherwise the peace of Europe was unsafe. He asked who advocated tho terrible responsibility of restoring order in a country which was a continent, and in which every nation and every army which had been interested hitherto, had harvested disaster? He refused the responsibility. (Cheers). THE MIDDLE EAST.

Mr Balfour emphatically said that there was not a shadow of truth in the reiterated statement that Britain’s military occupation of Syria meant that she was going to remain dominant there. The difficulties before all the Western mandatory Powers were gicat, but should not bo exaggerated. The Arabs, for the first time, in centuries, had played a great part in the alliance with the Entente, and had especially shown themselves in close co-operation with < the BrAish troops, faithful, brave and efficient. The orostigo of tho Arab race had consequently greatly risen, and ho had _ every hope that there would be a resuscitation of the groat Arab civilisation. “As fur as the Anglo-French are there cannot bo any rivalry in Syria. Wo earnestly hope ip the friendliest co-operation with tho French and with the warmest regard for our Arab allies, to see all difficulties solved.” Ho was absolutely confident. that the unhappy spirit of. unrest in Egypt was produced by the war, and would bo brought to an end, especially seeing that General Allenby was in’ control of tho situation, and perfectly understood That tho East was tho birthplace of rumours, and was full of tho strangest legends concerning the policy of His Majesty’* Government, Tho Government’s view was that the three questions— Egypt, the Soudan and the Canal-formed cn organic,, indivisible whole. England, in connection with this, would not give up any of her responsibilities. (Cheers). “British supremacy exists, and British supremacy is going'to be maintained. (Cheers). Lot none in or out of Egypt make any mistake on that cardinal principle of Government.’’ Nevertheless wo desired'in . every - way possible to associate tho Egyptian native popu-. lation (with the Government of the country. The Government desired in all respects to promote prosperity in’Egypt. Tho country w’as disturbed by a certain amount of_ dissensions and unrealisablc expectations, which,- if fulfilled, would damage Britain and the world, but mostly, tho Egyptian population. The Governmentwould unalterably adhere to its dccison fq send out the Milner Commission of Investigation._ Until the Commission’s report was received, it would l bo folly to attempt to sketch projected legislation, but tho population might rest assured that wo desired to associate them, (as far as possible, with tho work of administration, and tliut, unlike their lurkish masters, who in Egypt at the present moment affect to bo pro-Egyptian, wo shall steadily pursue tho policy of amelioration which lias made Egypt an utterly different place for all inhabitants, and mostly for tho natives, compared with Turkish rule. These were tho principles which animated tho Government in respect to the Middle East. “Wo recognise the complication and extraordinary difficulty of the task,” Mr Balfour concluded,' “but Britain has undertaken other tasks no less difficult and brought thorn to a successful conclusion, and why should we despair ?”- (Cheers). ■