Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1938 BRITAIN’S AMELIORATIVE POLICIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 26 October 1938, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1938 BRITAIN’S AMELIORATIVE POLICIES

SPEAKING at Rugby, a day or two ago, the British Foreign Minister, when defending the Powers’ arrangements made at Munich, said that the world is now witnessing “a revision of the Versailles Treaty, for which provision had been made in the League Covenant, which never, till now, had been made effective,” The passage in the Covenant referred to, is part of Article 26, which reads as follows: ‘‘Amendments to this Covenant will take effect when ratified by the members of the League whose representatives compose the Council and by a majority of the members of the League whose representatives compose the Assembly.” That passage seems to mean that no amendment of the League’s Covenant can be made except by a majority of the members of the League’s Council and of its Assembly. The Powers when making their arrangements recently at Munich, referred nothing to the League, nor to its Assembly. It is difficult, therefore, to realise what the British Foreign Minister means when he refers to the Munich deliberations as being a revision of the Versailles Treaty. There is not much doubt, however, that what they did at Munich overrode that Treaty, which was framed for the purpose of constraining Germany, who at Munich has been restored to her position of equality with the other great Powers. It is doubtful whether that was the intention of the great Powers assembled; but, if Lord Halifax is right, then Britain must take her share of the responsibility in placing Germany in a position of equality with the rest of the great Powers. Be that as it may, Britain is relaxing nothing of her proverbial vigilance, and a leading London journal refers with approval to Lord Halifax’s candour, and expresses appreciation of the British Government’s “realisation that the country must take all essential measures for safety.” It emphasises the fact that Britain “is vulnerable as never before and her defences are no longer enough.” The reference is to the effect of air-power. Britain is still practically invulnerable so far as naval and military attack is concerned, but she is open to attack from the air, and for her protection she aims to create an air force second to none in Europe, and expects to have completed it by the end of next year. To quote still further from the London journal mentioned, “It is for the (British) Government to utilise the indomitable spirit groused in the nation. It is for the people to make the Government’s policy feasible and fruitful.” Those two short sentences explain the state of tension in Britain better than columns of descriptive matter. Moreover, it must be realised that all the E uropean capitals are in the same state of apprehension, and though the great Powers of Europe are to-day bound by the Munich arrangements, it is evident that Britain’s precautions are necessary, and that though the British Prime Minister’s policy of amelioration has done much to produce a tranquil atmosphere internationally, the British Government and people consider that their defensive precautions are indispensable if they are to possess a sense of security.