BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20331, 12 August 1929, Page 9

BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY.

REVIEW BY DR. DALTON.

ATTITUDE TO RUSSIA.

PLANS FOR WORLD PEACE. Briti?h Wireless. RUGBY., Aug. A. The Under-Secretary of St&te for Foreign Affairs, I)t. Ilugli Dalton. .speaking at a meeting of the Independent Labour I'artv, at Welwyn, reviewed "tlie foreign policy of the Government. Dr. Dalton said that iu tlie sphere of foreign policy ,1 he Government was pushing forward vigorously along a wide front. He believed it had the vast majority of the electors behind it in the steps it was taking to make international co-operation a reality and international peace secure. With regard to Egypt, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Arthur Henderson, had made a friendly offer to the Egyptian people of real international independence, with the. prospect of full membership, on equal terms with the rest of the world, of the League of Nations. He had made it a condition that Parliamentary government in Egypt should be restored. There was, moreover, to be no change in the existing electoral law. The Government had no preference for one Egyptian politician or Egyptian party over another, nor did it intend to interfere in the internal politics of Egypt, 'ibis was a chance to make an enduring settlement, which if left unused might never recur. Defence o! Suez Canal. The defence of the Suez Canal wduld be no worse secured—indeed it would be better secured—if British troops and aerodromes were concentrated in the canal zone, rather than remain scattered all over Egypt. The Government was pressing forward with the establishment of more effective machinery than now existed for the peaceful settlement of all international disputes, whatever their character. As regarded justiciable disputes, it hoped the Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald, would be able himself to sign the optional clause regarding the International Court at the forthcoming Assembly of the League of Nations.

Non-justiciable disputes would fall to be dealt with by some such procedure as that suggested in a general Act, to-the principle of which the Labour Party was firmly committed, and the details of which the Government was now examin-

Dr. Dalton said lie hoped thiit when Parliament reassembled in (lie autumn tho Government would bo ablo to secure authority for the resumption of full diplomatic relations with Russia. It was now awaiting a further communication from Moscow. If tho Russians were prepared to discuss the procedure for tJio settlement of outstanding questions, and to indicate a desire to settle such questions in a spirit of common sense and goodwill, the Government would be prepared to do its part. Tho Government had already ■ lifted tlie embargo on export credits for Russian trade. Evacuation of Rhineland. At the Hague conference on the Young plan on reparation payments, Mr. Henderson was seeking the totiil and complete evacuation of the Rhineland, a development which would create a new atmosphere in Europe and a real sense that the Great War had passed into history. As compared with evacuation, the substitution of French for British troops in the occupied territory would bo a very pomsecond best. None the less, Mr. Henderson had emphasised that Britain was under no pledge to remain, if no agreement for simultaneous action could be reached. As regarded the financial questions under discussion at the Hague, Britain had a very strong case, and her claims for an adjustment were so small in proportion to the total sums at issue that he hoped a settlement would not be difficult. Dr. Dalton said he was very glad that an effort was to be made by tho British representatives to bring to an end the svstem of deliveries in kind, which had had so evil ari effect on the mining community. Britain, too, bad her devastated districts, largely as a result of past policies, which he trusted would now be reversed.