SOVIET GOLD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 19 June 1926, Page 2

SOVIET GOLD

FOR AIDING BRITISH STRIKE STATEMENT BY J.ORD BALFOUR (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Keuter s Telegrams) " LONDON, June 17 In the. House of Lords, replying to Lord Newton’s inquiry respecting the Russian strike money Lord Balfour said the avowed object of the Soviet Government was to destroy our social system. The presumption was that tho money ( was not contributed by the workers but by the Soviet Government. Ho was not quite sure that wo should have recognised tho Soviet. That was the arguable point; but there was a great difference between breaking off relations and not entering into relations at all. The bust would produce disturbances far beyond the coniines of the two countries and was the last course any responsible statesman would like to take. It was one which', without an adequate object, would add a new social disturbance to the overdisturbed world. What were wo going to gain by breaking off the relations! 1 am quite unable to see any gain until the situation develops in a manner in which I Hope it will not. I suggest that we go on diplomatically, as now nothing is to be gained by formal gestures. When we cordially disappiLve of tile Government, whoso action we can in no manner control, I am in favour of leaving things as they are, having quite explicitly explained we yro not dupes of the Russian policy. With public opinion behind us we have nothing to fear from the contrivances and intrigues of any nation in the world.”