Commons’ Debate

Northern Advocate, 4 October 1938, Page 7

Commons’ Debate

Criticism Of Munich Pact

Mr

Chamberlain as

Peacemaker

Ten Million Loan to

Czechs

(Received 2.0 p.m.)

LONDON, October 3. J|R C. R. ATTLEE, OPPOSITION LEADER, TAKING PART IN THE

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, SAID HE COULD NOT *'EEE THAT PEACE WAS ESTABLISHED, OR THAT WE HAD ANYTHING BUT AN ARMISTICE IN A STATE OF WAR.

There had not been victory through reason and humanity, but by brute force. Events of the last few days constituted one of the greatest diplomatic defeats Britain and France had ever sustained. It was a tremendous victory for Herr Hitler.' Most people in the country believed the Czechs had been betrayed by those pledged to stand by them.

The fact was that the map of Europe had been forcibly altered by the threat of war by Herr Hitler. Throughout the whole proceedings, Russia, by pledges, showed there was no difficulty of knowing where she stood. A firm declaration by France, Britain, Russia and other States would have stopped the tragedy.

“All is not due to Mr Chamber-

lain,” he said. “The seeds of the present situation were sown long since by Sir John Simon. This is not the time for Four-Power Pacts, for new alliances, for " Power politics. It is the time for new peace, and an all-in peace conference. Where Betrayal Comes In.

“We desire from Britain that there should issue a demand for a real and new effort to rid the world of war. Britain is not wholly to blame regarding Czechoslovakia. There has been great vacillation by France. If Cechoslovakia was not to be supported, she should have been told so. That is where the betrayal comes in.”