VIEWS ON SANCTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22260, 7 November 1935, Page 13

VIEWS ON SANCTIONS

MR. HUGHES RESIGNS SCENE IN PARLIAMENT (Received November 6, 11.35 p.m.) CANBERRA. Nov. 6 The resignation of Mr. W. M. Hughes from the Cabinet was handed to the Prime Mr. J. A. Lyons, today. Later, when the House of Representatives met, Mr. Lyons attempted to make a statement, but when Labour members objected the Speaker refused him leave. Considerable disorder followed and Mr. Lyons, greatly angered, resumed his seat and the debate on the Sanctions Bill was taken up.

Mr. Hughes thus obtained his chance to explain his attitude on sanctions against Italy. Ho intimated that he intended to support the measure now and had proposed to support it when the debate was commenced. He quoted lengthy passages from his book, "Australia ai\d the War To-day," and claimed that the book had been written chiefly with the object of arousing Australians to a realisation of the danger in which the couhtry stood. Mr. Hughes denied that his attitude in regard to the League was incompatible with that of the Government. The lesson he had sought to drive home was that it would be most dangerous to rest calmly in the belief that the League could always preserve peace. He was prepared to stand or fall by that statement. Surely, he added, it was a pious hope to expect Signor Mussolini to bo turned from his path by a mere gesture. In an interview in Sydney a few days ago Mr. Hughes said ho did not oppose sanctions in his book, "Australia, and the War To-day." In fact he supported the principle of collective sanctions against an offending member of the League. But he believed that sanctions, unless backed up by a sufficient power-of force, which could be used as an extreme measure, would be useless. "Of course, I will support the Government 'in its legislation to impose sanctions against Italy," said Mr Hughes. "The suggestion that I am opposed to sanctions is ridiculous, and certainly is not warranted by what I have said* in my book. So far from being opposed to sanctions, I am most strongly in favour of them. But what I have tried to point out is that every sanction must be supported by means adequate to make its imposition effective. "In some cases, such as financial sanctions, this involves only collective action by the nations which control loan moneys, credit, etc., but in the case of economic sanctions these may require force —in the background—adequate to make the blockade or embargo effective. To impose sanctions which are ineffective is to bring the League and the countries responsible into contempt. It is for this reason that Britain has sought the co-operation of France."