FOREIGN POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 220, 17 August 1939, Page 8

FOREIGN POLICY

LABOUR’S ATTITUDE. STATEMENT DEMANDED. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) W ELLIN CTON, Aug. 17. An official statement as to the attitude ot tiie whole .Labour Party towards British statesmen’s eliorts to prevent war was demanded by xVlr A. N. Grigg (National, Mid-Canterbury) in the House of Representatives, yesterday, uffifing a strong criticism ot what he called the “lire-eaters’ on ,'the Labour benches. If one believed what they said about the British Prime Minister, declared Mr Grigg, they wanted Britain to be at war.

Mr J. A. Lee: Nonsense. Mr Grigg suggested tinit an explanation .was due to the country alter what they had heard over and over again from Labour members about the duplicity of Mr Chamberlain, how Britain had not stood up to her obligations, and that, if she had done her part, America and Britain would have been able to prevent many things which had happened in the East. He considered it questionable whether, if America had co-operated with Britain to the extent she might have done, there might have been a different position in the East, but it was wrong to insinuate that the iault lay with Britain after ail she had dope to maintain peace in the world. EXPLANATION OWED.

The sentiments to which he took exception must have been staggering to people outside Parliament. An explanation was owed to the country as to where the whole Labour Party stood on the point of whether they were behind the British Government in its policy, or not. They had heard from the Prime Minister “ that his Government were behind Britain, audit was significant that, with all that had been said by Labour members, nothing bad been heard from responsible Ministers. Because someone discovered that Mr Chamberlain held a few shares in Imperial Chemical Industries he was pccused of aiding the armament kings of the world, and of duplicity. This was grossly unjust and could not be- substantiated in any shape, or form. “Ih all these accusations,” Mr Grigg added, “it is noticeable that Ministers have not taken part, but it has all come from members who are pleased to identify themselves with Socialism. If that" is what Socialism means, and where a Socialistic Government would take us, it is- just as well to know.” Mr Grigg paid a tribute to the patience of Mr Chamberlain in pursuing the policy of peace, even if it laid him open to the accusation of being a simpleton, for this policy had had an immense influence in Europe among enormous numbers of people, even in Germany and Italy, who had been convinced by his policy.