REAL CHANCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22867, 23 October 1937, Page 11

REAL CHANCES

SPANISH SOLUTION OPINION OF MR. EDEN STILL MANY I'KODLEMS t REVIEW IN COMMONS i > ll.v Telegraph—Press Association^— Copyright - British Wireless KIT/BY, Oct. 21 l Parliament reassembled to-day and in the House of Commons the r Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, opened a debate on international ■ i affairs in a crowded House. The i j Russian, Belgian, Argentine, Span- • I ish and Chinese Ambassadors i listened to the speeches from the Distinguished Strangers' Gallery. • Mr. lid en began by reviewing events jin the Mediterranean. He said the British Government would not cease to fbe sincerely grateful for the part ' played by the signatories to the Nyon | anti-piracv agreement. Need for Action After Italy's reply to the invitation jto join the tripartite conversation, Franco and Britain had thought it only ! fair to make it plain that tf the Nonintervention Committee could not achieve results within a limited period, those Governments would have to be free to resume liberty of action. The British Government did this not because it ceased to believe in 110111 intervention, but because no Government could continue to associate itself ■ for an indefinite period with an international agreement that was constantly being violated. At the end of Tuesday's meeting of the Non-intervention Committee, Mr. ■ i Eden confessed, he saw no alternative ; but that next day the committee should ! report failure, with all the consequences j that such a decision must inevitably j entail, but at the eleventh hour there I came a new and welcome contribution j by Italy. Withdrawal Difficulties The chief difficulty regarding witlij drawal of volunteers had been the rej lation in time between such withdrawals I and the granting of belligerent rights. | On this issue, both Italy and Germany i bad substantially modified their attij tildes. j A second stubborn difficulty had been j the proportions of withdrawals from j either side on which, without proof of | numbers, it would have been virtually ] impossible to reach agreement. Here, I too, Italy had proposed a solution ! which should be acceptable. The British Government was in full ] accord with this sincerely appreciated ' contribution to international agreement i which tlie.se two concessions undoubtedly implied. "I should be the last to indulge in exaggerated optimism," said Mr. Eden. "Tlie.ro, are problems enough and to spare still outstanding, but to-day there are real chances of making progress. The British Government will spare no endeavour to see that this progress proceeds speedily and unchecked. Action Not Modified "With this end in view the NonI Intervention Committee will meet again ! to-morrow when it is hoped replies from all Governments to Italy's new ! offer will be received."

Mr. Eden denied reports that yesterday the British Government took some new decision to modify its action. He said ho was convinced the British people were united and emphatic in not wishing the Government to take sides in Spain, and in wishing the Government to do everything in its, power by example and by conference not to let the principle of non-intcrrcntion be finally and irrevocably thrown over. Non-intervention, however, must be sharply distinguished from indifference respecting the territorial integrity of Spain or of British Imperial communications through the Mediterranean. "Let me, therefore, once again make it plain that our rearmament bears in it neither overt nor latent strains of revenge either in the Mediterranean or elsewhere," said Mr. Eden. "Our position in the Mediterranean is simply that we mean to maintain a right of way on this main arterial road. We have never asked and do ..not ask today that this right should lie exclusive. Effect of Intervention

"The Government is conscious that foreign intervention in Spain is responsible for preventing all progress toward international appeasement. Anyone who wanted to see how completely bad its effect had been should have bee.n at the League Assembly this year." The Foreign Secretary added that once the Spanish question and its attendant problems, strategical and political, cease to be a nerve centre of international policy it would be possible for Mediterranean nations to seek, in friendly conversations among themselves, to restore relations of traditional amity existing between them in the past. Turning to the Far East, Mr. Eden said the paramount desire of everyone must be to see an end put to slaughter, suffering and misery. The British Gov-

eminent would enter the Brussels conference with determination to do everything in its power to assuro the success of its labours.