TERMS OF BRITISH POLICY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 7

TERMS OF BRITISH POLICY

Declaration To Be Made To-day

FULL REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE KING PLANS TO PREVENT FURTHER AGGRESSION SIGNIFICANT ACTION BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT (British Official Wirelessl (Received I 3th April, 10.7 a.m.) RUGBY, 12th April. I he terms of the declaration of British policy in the light of the invasion of Albania which will be made to-morrow in both Houses of Parliament specially summoned for the purpose will be finally reviewed by a sub-committee of Cabinet this evening and a completed draft will come before a full meeting of Cabinet to-morrow morning. The form which the declaration will take was the subject of daylong consultations in London yesterday, culminating in Mr Chamberlain s visit to Buckingham Palace, where the King received a full report from Mr Chamberlain of the latest developments and of the Government’s plans to prevent further aggression. It is assumed the declaration will include an exact and unequivocal statement of what Britain means by the status quo in the Mediterranean, observance of which was promised by Britain and Italv under the terms of the Anglo-Italian agreement. The acute international tension continues to be the subject of newspaper editorial comment. "The Times” says that the whole situation will become clearer when the Government has declared its policy and submitted it for the support of Parliament and the country. Meantime it notes as significant that the community of opinion among like-minded nations in Europe is fullv shared beyond the Atlantic. Commenting on President Roosevelt’s commendation of a leading article in the "Washington Post," "The Times” says that it gave perhaps the most direct warning yet heard that the destinies of the United States must be involved from the outset by a deliberate threat to the foundations of western civilisation. "Aggressors are reminded that a nation stronger than they supports with its whole conviction the new efforts now being made to secure the liberties of Europe. There is plenty of evidence that the view of the White House and the State Department is held by a great majority of the American people, who have been convinced that successive violations of international law are coming to amount to an attempt to dominate the world bv military force." The "Daily Telegraph" says: "Assurances which Signor Mussolini has given to Greece and Yugoslavia and particularly to this country are welcome so far as they go, but the best guarantee that such assurances are to be kept will be a firm indication of the perils of breaking them.’ HIGH COMMISSIONERS CONFER There has been considerable activity at Whitehall to-day, which has been principally of a prefatory character to tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting and the meeting of the Houses of Parliament. Conversations took place with the Opposition, other leading Doliticians. and the High Commissioners of Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand were in conference with Sir Thomas Inskip. Secretary of State for the Dominions. Individual Ministers who called on Mr Chamberlain included Mr Hore Belisha, Secretary of State for War, Sir Samuel Hoare. Home Secretary, and Lord Halifax, Foreign Minister, who were accompanied by Sir Alexander Cadogan. Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, while Mr C. R. Attlee, Leader of the Labour Opposition, and Mr Winston Churchill also had interviews. Large crow'ds in Downing Street watched these comings and eoings. Meantime a large number of foreign representatives visited the Foreign Office, including the French, Soviet, Chinese and Polish Ambassadors, the Greek and Hungarian Ministers, and th*» United States Charge d’Affaires. MILITARY AND NAVAL PRECAUTIONS Military and naval precautions continue to be taken by the Powers, and messages from Europe s capitals report the callmi? »*■*■> furth**- -eservists.