Britain Ready To Co-operate In Efforts To Ensure World Peace

Northern Advocate, 28 April 1939, Page 7

Britain Ready To Co-operate In Efforts To Ensure World Peace

(Received 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, April 27. REPLYING IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TO A QUESTION WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SUPPLEMENT THE INITIATIVE OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S RECENT APPEAL BY ANNOUNCING A ' DESIRE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLExMS ON A PEACEFUL BASIS, MR CHAMBERLAIN SAID: “I am glad of the opportunity of making it clear that the Government is in sympathy with all attempts to secure agreements for the limitation of .armaments, and to open avenues for international trade and improved economic intercourse. “In this connection, I may call at tention to the fact that the Government is negotiating with, certain foreign Governments, and that a trade delegation from Finland is now in this country, and it is hoped to receive a similar delegation from Sweden. “The House is aware that a trade delegation from this country to Rumania has j ust reached Bucharest. • “We are always ready to consider any proposals that may be brought forward for the better distribution of raw materials, but there is practically no restriction in the case of the British colonial Empire.”

Roosevelt Proposal Welcomed. Answering a question whether the Government had accepted Mr Roosevelt’s invitation to take part in p world conference, and whether it remained the policy of. the Government to discuss all outstanding questions between itself and the .German Government as part of a general settlement, Mr Chamberlain said: “Although the British Government has not received a specific invitation from Mr Roosevelt, it made it clear that it would warmly welcome his initiative, and would certainly be ready and willing to take part in any such conference.” Replying to the second part of the question, Mr Chamberlain said the Government would be ready to take part in any discussion with Germany with a view to a general settlement whenever it felt such a discussion would be welcomed .and would be likely to have useful effects.