BRITAIN AND HER COLONIES

Northern Advocate, 8 February 1936, Page 6

BRITAIN AND HER COLONIES

Commons Debate Causes Anxiety

[British Official Wireless.l (Received 2 p.m.)

RUGBY. February 7,

>PHE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON MR GEORGE LANSBURY’S DEFEATED MOTION 1 IN FAVOUR OF A WORLD ECON- > OMIC CONFERENCE AND THE REFERENCES MADE BY MANY - SPEAKERS TO COLONIAL PROB- ■ LEliiS HAS AROUSED DISQUIET IN SOME QUARTERS, WHICH £ WILL FIND EXPRESSION IN f BOTfl HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT i- IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

Beyond remarking that there was little British support for the idea of transferring colonies, the Press scarcely commented on the House of Commons debate on Mr. George Lansbury’s motion for international control of raw materials.

Opposition to the implied suggestion • Some speeches of consideration of the redistribution of mandated or colonial territories is voiced by two schools of opinion, one of which is concerned at the possibility of danger in any transference, which might be contemplated to the principle of trusteeship, to which. British colonial administration generally conforms in px'actise, and is embodied more formally in the mandate system. The” other school repudiates any idea 61 cessation of the responsibilities Britain has assumed and deprecates the tkmbts which may be created in col- 1 onial areas by such discussion. Misgiving and Unrest. ' In the House of Lords Viscount Elibank proposes to call attention to “sense of misgiving and unrest” being •roused in the minds of inhabitants British colonies by the suggestions I Wow being made in letters to the press and elsewhere for the handing over of British colonies to other nations, either directly or under League mandates, and to ask his Majesty’s Government to declare its policy in this matter. The motion will be debated in March. Wednesday, in the House of Commons, questions will"be addressed both to the Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, and the Colonial Secretary, Mr J. H. Thomas.

The “Frankfurter Zeitung” says: “Nobody succeeded in giving a turn to the key which Sir Samuel Hoare inserted in the door of the castle of peace a few months ago, when he referred to the need of a redistribution of raw materials.”

The Rome Press gives prominence to the debate, and praises Mr Lloyd George’s sagacity. His speech is described as being the more remarkable, as he was one of the authorities of the Versailles Treaty. Hence he was directly responsible for the present state of affairs in Europe.

Most papers seized the opportunity to win over Britain to approval of Italian action in Abyssinia, and underlining Signor Mussolini’s repeated assurances that he has no intention of interfering in Britain’s legitimate juridically recognised interests.

Mr G. Mander. (Labour —Wolverhampton) wishes confirmation that the Government has no intention of handing over territories held under British mandates, and Sir Henry Page-Croft (Conservative—Bournemouth) desires a guarantee that the Government is not prepared to make “British colonies the subject of barter in any world conference.”