British Foreign Policy Remains Unaltered

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1945, Page 3

British Foreign Policy Remains Unaltered

RUGBY, August 20. There is a general endorsement in. the British press today of the main lines of Mr Bevin's first speech as Foreign Socretary. ‘The Times" emphasises the fact that Mr Bevin asserted “that the basis of the Government's policy was in keeping with that worked out by the Coalitioin resting principally -on co-operation by the three Great Powers, who have been the main artificers of victory.” The newspaper adds that he carried perhaps one step further a shift of emphasis which has been increasingly apparent for many years when he roundly asserted that “His Majesty’s Government regards the economic restoration of the world as the primary object of foreign policy.” “The Times" endorses Mr Bevin’s argument that a general return to civilian life and the restoration of peacetime production must precede attempts to restore political systems to their normal working order, and considers this nowhere more important than in Germany. As an instance of the magnitude of the task of the Control Commission, it quotes Mr Bevin’s words about displaced persons. "Doubts have turned mainly oh two points," says the newspaper, “whether sufficient authority has been given to the Control Commission and its organs to secure the execution of its decisions, and whether sufficiently concerted plans have been framed for the economic control and reconstruction of Germany. "In prospect of the economic chaos which overhangs all Europe in the coming winter. Germany occupies a central place, in part because of the large role her production must play in European economy, in part because of the direct responsibility assumed there by the occupying Governments.”

“Doubtless.” says. “The Times," "Mr Bevin will give details of his policy.” Almost all newspapers give considerable space in their leaders to the Foreign Secretary’s references to South-eastern Europe.

For Freedom, Justice

The “Daily Herald" says: “Hfs denunciation of the Governments of Hungary, Bulgaria and Rumania shows the world precisely where Britain henceforth stands. Many unwelcome things may indeed happen in Europe during the birthpangs of reconstruction, but the knowledge now exists that this country is now back on its honourable basis of democratic principle, that ‘ playing ball ’ with the so-called ‘ right people ’ in other lands is over, that our future will lean inexorably on the side of freedom and justice for ordinary people everywhere.”

The “Daily Telegraph," after quoting Mr Bevin's blunt reference to Bulgaria, Rumania and Hungary mentions America’s , dissatisfaction with Balkan tendencies, as made plain by the United States Secretary of Stale (Mr Byrnes). “The only country in the Balkan Peninsula for which we are directly responsible, Greece.” it adds, “is the only one where people have been offered a real choice of Government and Constitution.

“As for Spain and the ‘ bitter cry from the outer left ’ that the British Government should take action against Franco’s regime. Mr Bevin answered with devastating commonsense. He is, like every former Foreign Secretary, satisfied that intervention by a foreign Power in the internal affairs of Spain would have the opposite effect to that desired." The newspaper adds that the sentence must have sounded to Mr Eden like the echo of one of his own men from ten years back. The “News Chronicle” says Mr Bevin’s first statement will be scrutinised anxiously all over the world. It draws comfort from the absence of any indication of radical change in foreign policy. “None the less," says the “News Chronicle.” “the speech as a whole makes an important contribution to our outlook on foreign affairs. This is because Mr Bevin emphasises what is in fact fundamenwar world. His appointment to the tal —the economic unity of the postForeign Office symbolises the fact that ‘ diplomacy ’ as once understood is dead.

“From now on, foreign policy, if it is to serve the common ends of humanity, must imply the integration of economic capacities and requirements side by side with the pursuit of political order conforming to the world’s needs. Mr Bevin's approach is informed by this conception.

“The basis of economic expansion is security, for without security trade cannot flourish and poverty is engendered, which leads to further wars. The present war has left all combatants exhausted. Their duty now is to build up all their resources—not for themselves alone, but to make possible a thriving, contented world.”

Direct Approach

The “Manchester Guardian” considers that everything rests on the Allies maintaining the magnificent unity with which they won the war. “But this unity must not be based on unreal compromises and sham arrangements,” it adds. “Frankness of speech is called for again. There is a new spirit entering international language. Mr Churchill, Mr Eden and Mr Bevin have all breathed it. The sign. It springs from a belief that we American Note on Bulgaria is another must face our difficulties openly and boldly. ”If Russia has not been able so far to see eye to eye with us on some questions, we shall still not get anywhere with her unless she understands where the possibilities of divergence lie and how strongly \he British and American peoples iel That is why it is a gain that the Bn, * ish point of view should be put forthrightly by a Labour spokesman. Foreign opinion can dismiss the illusion that there is profit to be made by playing off the British political parties against one another.” The newspaper concludes by saying that the occasion might have justified a passing word about our political intentions in our liberated territories in the Far East. It was not enough, it adds, to refer only to the return of Hongkong and the restoration of British interests. Still, it was only a beginning. and Mr Bevin has amply shown that he has the .courage and principle his office needs.