Close Collaboration With France

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 154, 3 July 1939, Page 7

Close Collaboration With France

Britain Cautiously on Watch

(British Official Wireless.) Received Sunday, 9.20 p.m. RUGBY, July 1. While alarmist speculations regarding Danzig are discounted and deprecated in London official quarters have made clear that the situation is being closesly and continuously watched in consultation with the French Government. The French Cabinet held a meeting to-day at which it is understood tho position was reviewed. Neither in Paris nor London, however, do tbe events which have been known to have occurred nor the developments which are forecast with or without foundation in reports from abroad call for any new decision. So far as the British Government is concerned its attitude was defined clearly and definitely in Mr. Chamberlain’s declaration on March 31 that “in the event of any action which clearly threatened Polish independence and which the Polish Government accordingly considered it vital to resist with its nationul forces his Majesty’s Government would feel itself bound at once to lend the Polish Government all the support in its power.” The only concern in official circles k here at the present time is that the unequivocal definition of the British commitments and British intentions should not be forgotten in any quarter. Sir John Simon (Chancellor of the Exchequer) referred to the international situation in a speech at Sheffield. He said; “The situation is serious and even grave, but I have no new declar ation to make. Lord Halifax on Thursday spoke not only for the British Government but for the British people, also for a large part of the world outside the British Commonwealth. His statement was unprovocative but firm and clear. “There are States great and powerful which have been built up on the basis of the belief, and which proclaim the belief, that a democracy is bound to be weak and that strength can be shown only by peoples which submit, to orders from above. But there is unity and strength of purpose and comradeship in the British Constitution and its freedom to the individual which cann,ot be found under any other form of Government. In the days before us, however difficult they may be, it will be our special mission to prove that again to be true to the whole world. ’ ’