ATTACKS ON SHIPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 176, 25 June 1938, Page 12

ATTACKS ON SHIPS

SIR It. HODGSON TO REPORT. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received June 25, 12.10 p.m. RUGBY, June 24. The British Agent at Burgos (Sir Robert Hodgson), who has been directed to return to London to consult ivith the Government on the situation arising from the repeated bombing of British ships, is expected early next Aveek. It is hoped he Avill bring General Franco’s reply to the protests against "the attacks on the Thorpeness and the Sunion. APPLICATION OF SCHEME. LEAGUE COMMITTEE’S PLANS. (British Official Wireless.) Received June 25, 11 a.m, RUGBY, June 24. The chairman’s non-intervention committee has agreed upon the genera] form of organisation required for tlie application of the scheme for strengthening the sea observation plan accepted at its last meeting. The financial provision required for the plan for the withdrawal of foreign volunteers from Spain was further considered, hut, in view of the great complexity of the various parts of the plan, it was not possible to reach a final agreement. The question Avill be further considered on Tuesday. shifT cargo. RULING AT GIBRALTAR. Received June 25, 11.20 a.m. GIBRALTAR, June 24. The Chief Justice, holding that the Supreme Court of Gibraltar had no jurisdiction, set aside a writ whereby the Crown claimed condemnation of the discharged cargo' from the Stancroft which had been bombed, also a warrant for arrest. The Court disalloAA r ed defendants’ costs and did not order the delivery of goods allegedly worth £30,000. GREAT BRITAIN’S POLICY. PEACE THE MOTIVE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 23. Moving the adjournment of the House of Commons to call attention to the attacks made yesterday on two British ships off Valencia, Mr C. R. Attlee (Leader of the Opposition) said that Avas no doubt at all that these ships Avere engaged in a perfectly legitimate trade. They had non-in-tervention observers on board—in one case French and in the other German. The attacks were delivered at a loav altitude, and must haA ; e been deliberate. This had followed a long series of other attacks on British ships, and the latest British protest at Burgos. A British ship Avas as much a part of British territory as Gibraltar, and a British sailor just as much a British subject as any other person. Tho Prime Minister must be more specific if he Avanted the House to believe lie could not defend them. Mr Chamberlain, in reply, announced that the British Government had instructed the British Agent at Burgos to ask that an explanation of these latest attacks be given Avithout delay, and had directed him to return to London as soon as he received a reply in order that the Government might consider it in consultation. The Government, however, Avas not going to change the policy it had 'already proclaimed regarding the Spanish situation. The motive of that policy Avas not a preconceived idea in favour of one side or the other in the Spanish civil Avar, but a will, to preserve the greatest of British interests—peace. All through, the object of the non-intervention policy had been to avoid Avliat it conceived to be the inevitable result of intervention, namely the spread of the conflict beyond the borders of Spain until it became a European conflagration. Once a war-like action - started, whether against General Franco or against some objective, Avho could tell if the operation ivould end there?

Mr- Chamberlain asked whether it was claimed that the , country should go to war, or take action which might conceivably involve it in war, in order to give protection to people who had gone in for the purpose of making profits in this risky trade,- despite the warning given by ■ the Government. The motion for the adjournment was defeated by 275 votes to 141.