EASTERN CONFLICT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 21, 22 December 1937, Page 9

EASTERN CONFLICT

CHINA AND JAPAN. GREAT BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE. DEBATE IN COMMONS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received December 22, 9.20 ii.m. LONDON, Dec. 21. Mr C. R. Attlee (Labour Leader), opening the foreign affairs debate in the House of Commons, said that Hong Kong might be cut off from the mainland and Shanghai left derelict. The Government was meeting the results of its past actions. Britain and the other States had acquiesced in the wrong done to China, thinking that Japan would respect European interests if allowed a certain latitude, but Japan, he was of the opinion, wanted a liegemony in the Far East. He did not believe the colonies could be treated as a counter in a game of diplomatic bargaining. The Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) said he regretted the untimely debate. He was unable to perceive what course Mr Attlee could advise, unless it was to go to war against any Power that did not listen to their representations, but there must be a period for study and the exploration of the problems. He expressed the opinion that no greater service could be rendered to the cause of peace than the restraint and toleration of the Press. “A MAJOR WAR.” Mr Chamberlain described the SinoJapanebe conflict as a major war in everything but name. Whatever might be the rights or wrongs it was certainly a fact that Japan had not attempted to seek a settlement by peaceful means. “It must not be thought that British patience or a desire for peace means we are forget!ul of our duty to protect British interests,” added the Prime Minister. It was for Japan to show that she was not unmindful of the rights and interests of others, and that her assurances and apologies were more than words. He denied that the Government were drifting. They had a definite faitli in the settlement of the grievances of the world without war. They did not think that threats were the right way to achieve tlio result, but ho thought the result could best be attained by personal contacts.