GENEVA INCIDENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 159, 7 June 1937, Page 7

GENEVA INCIDENT.

DIR JORDAN’S SPEECH. CORRESPONDENT’S VERSION. LONDON, June 5. The New Zealand Government Office in London has been upset by an article by Air Vernon Bartlett in the News-Chronicle which, alter stating that the principal delegates to the imperial Conference made it clear to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Aiv Anthony Eden) that restoration of tne League’s prestige was of vital importance to them, refers to the clash between Mr Eden and the New Zealand High Commissioner (Mr W. J. Jordan) at Geneva on Alay 29. “it is now fairly widely known that Air Eden, brought most unusual pressure to bear on Mr Jordan in order that ho should say nothing which •might encourage the Spanish Government or offend Germany and lta/. “Air Jordan was impressed by the overwhelming evidence of the Spanish representative, Senor Del Vayo, of German and Italian contempt for their non-intervention pledges, and was about to propose that the problem of Spain should be more or Jess transferred from the Non-Intervention Committee to the League. “Air Eden dissuaded him from doing anything of the sort, but only by methods which have offended New •Zealanders and all the other Dominion representatives, who attach importance to the independence guaranteed them by the Statute of Westminster.”

Mr Jordan, interviewed by the Australian Associated Press agency, reiterated his denial that Mr Eden had censured his speech. “I am too jealous of the position of New Zealand in tiie League to subject it to the undue influence of any other delegate,” Mr Jordan said. “New Zealand counts for one in the League, as does the United Kingdom. Any suggestion that I was swayed by unusual pressure from Mr Eden is absolutely incorrect. It is absurd also to suggest that I and other New Zealand delegates were offended by anything Mr Eden is said to have done.”