Not Risking War

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 5

Not Risking War

Britain’s Special Policy DEBATE ON BOMBING OF SHIPS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 23. Moving the adjournment of the House of Commons in order to call attention to attacks yesterday on two British ships off Valencia, tho Leader of tho Opposition, Mr. C. R. Attlee, said there was no doubt at all that these 'ships were engaged in perfectly legitimate trade. They had non-intervention observers on board —in one case a Frenchman and in the other a German. The attacks were delivered at low altitude, and must have been deliberate. This followed a long series of attacks on British ships and the latest British protest at Burgos. The British ship was as much a part of British territory as Gibraltar, and a British sailor just as much a British subject as any other person. The Trime Minister must be more specific, said Mr. Attlee, if he wanted the House to believe ho could not defend them.

Mr. Chamberlain in reply, announced that tho British Government had instructed the British agent at Burgos to ask that an explanation of these latc3t attacks be given without delay, and had directed him to return to London as soon as he received a reply in order that the Government might consider, in consultation with him, the situation resulting from the terms of the answer received.

The Government, however, was not going to change the policy it has already proclaimed regarding the Spanish situation. Tho motive of that policy was not a preconceived idea in favour of one side or the other in the Spanish civil war, but tho will to preserve the greatest of British interests—peace. All through, tho object of the nonintervention policy had been to avoid what they conceived to be the inevit able result of intervention, namely, the spread of the conflict beyond tho borders of Spain until it became a European conflagration. Once warlike action was started, whether against General Franco or against some objective, who could tell that the operation would end there

He 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 tho purpose of making profits in this risky trade despite the warnings given by the Government.

The motion for the adjournment was defeated by 275 votes to 141.

INSURGENTS BEING ASKED FOR EXPLANATION COSERVATIVES FORCE THE ISSUE (British Official Wireless) RUGfiY, June 23. The debate on the adjournment of the House of Commons on the subject of further attacks on British ships in Spa nish waters, resulted from an answer by the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain to a private notice of a question from Mr D. Sandys, Conservative. Mr Chamberlain, after outlining tliu attacks on the Thorpeness and Sunion, said the Government was asking Burgos, the headquarters of the insurgents lor an early explanation of these attacks. Mr Sandys then asked: ‘Does the Premier realise that the failure of Britain to offer any resistance to these unlawful acts of violence is an encourage ment to law breakers, not only in Spain but all over the world?” Mr Chamberlain replied: ‘‘The policy and position of Britain has been fully explained.” Mr C. R. Attlee, Leader of the Opposition, and Mr Lloyd George joined iu supplementary questions, and finally Mr Attlee annonneed that he would move the adjournment. Two sea captains, Messrs Llewellyu and Jones, whose ships were among those which had been attacked by aeroplanes operating in favour of General Franco, were received by Mr Chamberlain in his room at the House of Commons immediately after the end of the questions. The British destroyer Isis conveys the crews of the Thorpeness and Sunion, which were bombed yesterday, to Marseilles. Confirmation has been received in London of the African Trader incident. The destroyer Imogen escorted the African Trader towards Gibraltar. After the scene in the House of Commons, the Speaker granted leave to the House to debate to-night the bombing of ships in Spain. It is significant that the issue is being forced by the Conservatives, Messrs Sandys and Brass, supported by Mr Lloyd George and the whole of the Labour members.