ANGLO-SOVIET TALKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 11 May 1939, Page 7

ANGLO-SOVIET TALKS

NON-AGGRESSION PACT M. MAISKY CALLS AT FOREIGN OFFICE MISUNDERSTANDINGS CLEARED UP (Received 11th May. 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, 10th May. M. Maisky, Soviet Ambassador, called at the Foreign Office to clear up ifisunderstandings over the Anglo-Soviet negotiations. A Tass News Agency message left the impression that the Soviet might in certain circumstances be left alone in a conflict following an act of aggression. It is stated in official circles in London that England and France had not intended to seek Russian aid unless they themselves were already engaged in such a conflict.

MOSCOW STATEMENT

MR CHAMBERLAIN EXPLAINS MISUNDERSTANDING OF SUGGESTION l British Official Wireless! RUGBY, 10th May. Mr C. R. Attlee, Leader of the Opposition, in the House of Commons asked Mr Chamberlain about the statement issued at Moscow regarding the British and Russian exchanges for East European security. Mr Chamberlain said:

“I have seen the statement to which Mr Attlee refers, and which seems to be based upon some misunderstanding of the suggestions actually put forward by Britain to the Soviet. Though conversations are still in progress, and the House will not therefore expect me to discuss these matters in detail, I think it might be advisable in vie'v of this statement to place the House in possession of the general line on which the conversations have been hitherto proceeding.

“As the House is aware. Britain recently accepted a definite obligation in respect of certain Eastern European States. Britain did this in pursuance of its declared policy of assisting those States to resist any attempt, if such were made, to threaten their independence. Britain undertook these obligations without inviting the Soviet to participate directly in them in view of certain difficulties to which, as the House was well aware, any such suggestions would inevitably give. Britain accordingly suggested to the Soviet thit it should make on its own behalf a declaration of similar effect to that already made by Britain in the sense that in the event of Britain and France

being involved in hostilities in the discharge of their own obligations thus accepted the Soviet on its side would express its readiness also to lend assistance if desired ”

DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAV "Such a declaration, if the Soviet feels able to make it, seems to Britain tc be in accord with Mr Stalin’s recent pronouncement that it is the Soviet’s policy to support countries which might be victims of aggresison, and which were prepared to defend their own independence.

“Almost simultaneously Lhe Soviet suggested a scheme at once more comprehensive and more rigid, which, whatever other advantages it might present, must in the view of Britain, inevitably raise the very difficulties which Britain’s own proposals had been designed to avoid. Britain accordingly pointed out to the Soviet the ev*tence of these difficulties. At the same time Britain made certain modifications in her original proposals. In particular Britain made it plain that it was no part of her intention that the Soviet should commit herself to intervene irrespective of whether Britain and France had already in discharge of their obligations done so. Britain added that if the Soviet wishes to make her own intervention contingent on that of Britain and France, the British Government for its part would have no objection. "Lord Halifax (Foreign Minister) yesterday saw M. Maisky, Russian Ambassador, who explained to him that the Soviet is still not clear whether under Britain’s proposals circumstances might not arise in which the Soviet would be committed to intervention mis’ .-ported by Britain or France. Lord Halifax assured M. Maisky that this was definitely not the intention of Britain’s proposal, and that if there were room for doubt on this point my noble friend anticipated that it could without difficulty be removed. He accordingly invited M. Maisky to place Britain in possession of the precise grounds on which these doutts of the Soviet were based, if they still existed, and this M. Maisky readily agreed to do.

“Sir William Seeds, British Ambassador in Moscow, had an interview two days ago with M. Molotov, Foreign Minister, who promised that the Soviet would give careful consideration to Britain's proposals: and the Government is now awaiting the Soviet’s reply.”

The House had better await the Soviet’s reply to see what further steps might be required, but he emphatically declared that Britain regarded the negotiations with Moscow as a matter of great importance and urgency.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR

UNEXPECTED CALL ON COUNT CIANO DETAILS OF CONVERSATION NOT DISCLOSED (Received 11th May, 1.39 p.m.) ROME, 10th May. Count Ciano, Foreign Minister, unexpectedly received the French Ambassador. Details of the conversation are not available.

BRITISH MILITARY MISSION

INSPECTION OF MAGINOT LINE I British Official Wireless! RUGBY. 9th May. A British military mission headed by Lieutenant-General Sir John Dill, which is at present in France, to-day began an inspection of the northern

I I section of the Maginot Line in the com- ] | pany of General Gamelin, Chief of the | French General Staff, and other French ' : staff officers. The British and French officers will be able to continue the exchanges j i which took place when Lord Gort, j I Chief of the Imperial Staff, visited J J France recently. MEETING OF CABINET j PROGRESS OF PEACE FRONT j TALKS WHITE PAPER ON PALESTINE j PROPOSALS (Received 11th May. 9 a.m.) LONDON. 10th May. ( Cabinet met at No. 10 Downing i Street to-day to consider the progress i of the peace front negotiations, also the ; ! Palestine proposals which will probably be published in a White Paper next week. Dr Chaim Weizmann, Zionist leader, arrives in London to-night from Palestine and is likely to make a lastminute effort for the postponement of , the publication of the White Paper till Zionist objections are further considered. MILITARY TRAINING BILL NEED OF URGENCY STRESSED (Received 11th May, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, 10th May. The Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, in the House of Commons, moving the timetable motion to expedite the j Military Training Bill, said the proceedings were being watched closely in other quarters and anything appearing dilatory might be most discouraging to our European friends. Even if the Bill passed according to time table the first militiamen could not begin training until the beginningi of July. NORTHERN IRELAND EXCLUDED AMENDMENT CARRIED BY LARGE MAJORITY (Received 11th May, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, 10th May. During the committee discussion on the Military Training Bill amendment excluding Northern Ireland, Mr Anstruther Gray (C.) asked for an assurance that youths from Eire would not be permitted to work. in the United Kingdom without military training. He urged that all Dominions’ youths should not be permitted to be employed in the United Kingdom unless militarily trained here or in their own Dominions. Lieutenant-Commander P. G. Agnew (C.) said the amendment compelled j Dominions’ men to register unless they j could prove they were not ordinarily ! resident in the United Kingdom. It J should be clarified whether Dominions’! men coming for a three years’ professional course were obliged to register J The amendment was carried by 261 j votes to 21. Ulster members opposing CONSCRIPTION TO APPLY >IEN LIVING IN FOREIGN 1 COUNTRIES • Received 11th May, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 10th May. The ‘ Evening Standard” says that con- - scription will apply to men living in . foreign countries, but they may receive * special consideration. It will not apply j to men living in the Dominions or other British territory. ; OPPOSED BY ENGINEERING ! UNION • Received 11th May. 10.30 a.m.) ] LONDON, 10th May. , The Birmingham section of the Amalgamated Engineering Union which has a membership of 35.000, is opposing ' conscription and is considering advising j its members to refuse to serve. The decision at present affects only 1200 Birmingham members. POLAND”AND RUSSIA j RELATIONS TO BE PUT ON ] NORMAL BASIS ( (Received 11th May, 9.25 a.m.) ' WARSAW, 10th May. ! Colonel Beck, Foreign Minister, and ' M, Potemkin (Russia) conferred with a view to putting Russian-Polish re. lations on a normal basis. VISIT MOST IMPORTANT (Received 11th May, 1,40 p.m.) LONDON. 10th May. The Warsaw correspondent of “The Times'’ says that M. Potemkin conferred wit’’. Colonel Beck for two hours 1 and later left for Mosco-v. Despite the 1 veil of unofficiality the visit is most J important, and the public were again assured that Polo-Soviet relations 1 were developing satisfactorily. GERMANS EXPELLED FROM POLAND I . . i SPREADING FALSE RUMOURS t (Received 11th May. 9.50 a.m.) WARSAW, 10th May. Thirteen Germans were expelled from Posnan for adopting a disloyal r attitude and spreading false rumours. a Two women were expelled from the j Polish “corridor” frontier zone for il- t : legal activities against the State. »' j Six Lodz Germans were sentenced £ •to two months’ imprisonment for at- <i ; tempting to cross the frontier illegally, v t SCANDINAVIAN POWERS 1 ADHERENCE TO NEUTRALITY GERMAN VIEW CT DECISION o (U.P.A.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11th May. 10.30 a.m.> BERLIN. 10th May. Authoritative quarters declare that the Scandinavian powers’ decision to adhere to neutrality is a direct answer to President Roosevelt. Official quarters assert that Scandinavian neutrality has the full approval of the Reich. FOODSTUFFS TO GERMANY DELIVERIES FROM POLAND TO BE C SUSPENDED ® 4' TERMS OF PACT NOT CARRIED OUT 10.P.A. By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] (Received 11th May, 1.40 p.m.) WARSAW, 10th May. A Government committee recommends the suspension of deliveries of p

foodstuffs to Germany under the PoloGerman trade pact pending readjustment of the treaty, which provided that Poland exchange foodstuffs and machinery on long-term credits. The committee reports that Germany has failed in the delivery of machinery, and owes Poland £1,600,000 under the agreement. The reason for failure is the high price, unsuitability of the machinery, and the excessive German interest rate.

GERMAN TACTICS ADOPTED

ACCUSATIONS IN POLISH PRESS fU.P.A.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] (Received 11th May, 9 a.m.) WARSAW, 10th May. The Polish Press, following German newspaper tactics, has launched a campaign accusing Germany of ill-treating Poles, wrecking Polish buildings in German Silesia and brutally expelling Poles from East Prussia.

GERMAN CIRCLES ANGRY

EXPELLED CAIRO CORRESPONDENT ANTI-BRITISH ARTICLES (Received 11th May, 10.5 a.m.) CAIRO, 10th May. The “Volkischer Beobachter’s” correspondent left for Berlin. He declined a respite for a week. German circles are most angry and blame Britain for the expulsion, notwithstanding the correspondent Schmitz’s admission that it was his duty to write anti-British articles, to which Egypt objected on the grounds that the articles were stirring up the Arabs against Britain. The Germans talk of reprisals. A Berlin message yesterday stated that the Cairo correspondent of the official Nazi Party, the “Volkischer Beobachter” had been expelled from Cairo.

NEW AIRCRAFT CARRIER

ORDERED BY FRANCE TO CARRY FORTY PLANES (Received 11th May, 12.15 p.m.) PARIS, 10th May. An order was placed at St. Nazaire for the construction of the aircraftcarrier Painleve, which will be a sister ship to the Joffre. The vessel will carry 40 planes.

CONFIDENT MARKETS

PIECES GENERALLY FIRMER (Received 11th May, 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, 10th May. The markets remain confident, and prices generally are firmer.