BRITAIN’S POLICY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 May 1939, Page 5

BRITAIN’S POLICY

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS N MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF FORBEARANCE INTEREST IN MR MENZIESS SPEECH [British Official Wireless]

RUGBY, 10th May. Considerable interest has been shown in London in reports of the speech made by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr R. G. Mcnzies, in the debate on foreign affairs in the House of Representatives at Canberra yesterday Mr Menzies spoke of the magnificent example of forbearance set by Britain in the last two years in dealing with European affairs. An endeavour had been made, he said, to understand and show patience, but unfortunately this display of patience and goodwill had

not got the response is deserved. Mr Menzies’ interpretation of the policy now being pursued by Britain has special interest because it is at once authorative, owing to the arrangements by which the Dominion Governments are kept fully and continuously informed by Whitehall, and detached, owing both to constitutional position of the members of the j Commonwealth and to Australia’s re- | moteness from events in Europe.

I Mr Menzies emphasised that the ! basis of British policy was that if . grievances were to be examined, if [ should not be at the point of the j sword, but at a conference table. There j were, he said, no grievances or claims which the democratic countries were I not prepared to examine without prejudice.

If dictatorships refused to confer, then, if war came, in Mr Menzies* opinion, the whole world would know by whose aggression it had come.