BRITAIN AND EUROPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20104, 15 November 1928, Page 14

BRITAIN AND EUROPE.

COMPROMISE WITH FRANCE.

HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE

HOSTILE AMENDMENT LOST.

Australian Press Association—United Service (Received November 14, fi.s p.m.) British Wireless. LONDON, Nov. 13. In tho House of Commons to day the Leader of the Liberal Party, Mr. Lloyd George, moved the following amendment to the Address-in-Reply:—

"That the House considers that the Anglo-French naval compromise endangered the prospects of peace in Europe and good relations with tho United States; that it regretted the abandonment of the pnnciplo of the limitation of small submarines and cruisers and considered the basis of naval discussions should be the extension of the Washington Treaty to all classes of combatant ships; that the exclusion of reservists from (lie computation of French military strength was contrary to tho spirit of'the Treaty of Versailles and of the Locarno Pact."

Mr. George said Britain's foreign policy should aim at the promotion of friendship and co-operation between all nations on the basis of the covenant of the League of Nations and tho Kellogg Pact. Tho real tost of Locarno was the progress of disarmament on which the AngloFrench agreement was sinister comment. The announcement of the President of the United States, Mr. Coolidge, of tho intention of his Government to have 15 (•raisers built was one effect of the agreement. The Prime Minister, Mr. Baldwin, had said tho pact was the keystone of Locarno, but the keystone had gone and il was a rainbow without an arch.

Disarmament Obligations Issue

Since Locarno there had been a refusal to evacuate the Rhineland, although tho Allies were bound to do so tho moment Germany was fulfilling her obligations under the Versailles Treaty. Tho signatory Powers had increased their armaments. Ife thought ho could demonstrate , that Britain's armaments had been increased. Ministerial cries of: No. Prove it. Mr. George dwelt on the necessity for a good understanding with America, scouted the idea of a conflict with that country and said Mr. Baldwin should make it clear he had abandoned the Anglo-French compromise. He also defended Russia's disarmament proposals. In conclusion Mr. George said there could bo no peace in Europe until the Allies had carried out their disarmament obligations. French Army and the Rhineland.

J In the course of his reply to Mr. George the Prime Minister said tho Anglo-French compromise was no more than a perfectly honest, straightforward attempt to get out of the deadlock which had occurred at Geneva. France remained a conscript country as 6he always had been. She regarded conscription as an essential part of the doctrine of democracy. The existence of a conscript army in France did not necessarily make that country militant. In France they held the view that if every man had to go and fight when a war began tho masses of tho people would bo less inclined to think about war, and statesmen would think twice before they ordered them to go and fight. Mr. Baldwin denied that the compromise was directed against other countries, especially (he United Stales. lie related how its terms had been submitted to America and the other Powers concerned. In regard to the Rhineland tho attitude of the British Government had always been tho same. It wanted to see the evacuation of the Rhineland, but C j ,U n com P e ' the evacuation. If i3u- tls,) tr°ops walked out of the Rhineland how would it advance that object by one step? It might cause greater difficulties. There was real hope that before long this matter might be settled by the committee of experts now being set up. Desire to Heal Old Wounds.

Dealing with Britain's relations with France the Prime Minister spoke of Mr. .Ramsay Mac Donald's policy in 1924 on disarmament, when ho wrote that it was a policy which could only be initiated if Prance and England were agreed. The present Government did not mean (o deviate from the policy which it had tried to pursue ever since it had been in office. So far as its cordial understanding of the French was concerned this was the same as had been pursued by Mr. Mac Donald. It was not an exclusive policy and was not directed against anyone, 'it was a policy of working in close co-operation, not only with Franco, but also with all other countries. It had been felt in <ho most remote corners of Europe and fiad contributed to the settlement of disputes which might in times past have led to very serious troubles

The. Government's one desire in its foreign policy was to heal the wounds caused by the war and to see the peace of Europe consolidated for the benefit of friends and late enemies alike. Need to Understand America.

Mr. Baldwin referred to the recent statement made by Mr. Coolidge that it was always plain that Europe and the United States lacked mutual understanding. He said he thought Mr. Coolidge was right. Ho regretted it profoundly, and it was very difficult to find anywhere why it was so.

But ho had noticed one thing during his term of office which was worth considering. European statesmen had acquired the habit of meeting at Geneva, and there thev learned not only each other's point of view but, what was very important, each other's idiosyncrasies as individuals. He thought there was among European statesmen a desire in negotiations to" see the other viewpoint, and to compromise if something could bo effected by that compromise. This state of affairs existed now far more than it had done before the war.

American statesmen, however, did not know European statesmen. Nor did European statesmen know American statesmen. There was no personal intercourse, the only intercourse being written and dispatched across 5000 miles of water. In Iheso circumstances it was far more difficult to reach a mutual understanding It was important to all who spoke oti America or on Britain's relations with America to studv and to understand the. political system of the United States. It was so different from any of the European systems. On these differences relations had been wrocked more than once. Defeat of the Amendment.

Mr. Baldwin said ho regretted fo have to complain about some of Mr. George's statements in the courso of an article of his in the foreign press. lie said they had made the Government's task more difficult, and would make if impossible for Mr. George. if he returned (o office, to deal with foreign statesmen. Tt .did not help matters when Mr George, wrote about "Britain's subservience to France," and "the intolerable conditions on the eastern frontier of Germany."

Mr George said he did not remember using the latter phrase, though he had always protested against the Rilesinn award Mr. Baldwin said he had all the details before him. He appealed to Mr. Georee to stop it. At tho cjoso of his speech lie was cheered by the members. Mr. Mac Donald said the Prime Minis ter's speech had left many nuestions unanswered. Was the Anglo-French agree ment dead. not. only to the world, but as between Britain and France? Would Britain bo free to make the French proposals to tho Preparatory Commission on Disarmament in reference to trained reservists ? The amendment was defeated by 326 votes to 163.