RIGHT RESERVED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23010, 11 April 1938, Page 11

RIGHT RESERVED

WAR OR PEACE WHERE BRITAIN STANDS FOREIGN COMMITMENTS ARMS AND FRIENDSHIP By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 10, 5.."> p.m.) LONDON, April » The Birmingham Unionist Association enthusiastically received the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, who, in the course of a speech, said that in spite of existing treaties with France and Belgium, Britons, who declined to commit themselves respecting other countries, must reserve to themselves the right to say whether they would enter war or not. "It would be a gamble," ho said, "if the advice were obeyed to take the bolder course of laying down the circumstances in which we would go to war. We would not give the word for war unless we were convinced that not otherwise could we preserve our liberty. "Our policy is not to divide Europe into two opposing blocs, each arming against the other amid a growing flood of illwill which can only induce war. Accepting Dictatorships "We may not approve of dictatorships, but there they are. We have tn live with tliein, and, while we must rearm until we can get a general agreement to disarm, we must in the meantime try to establish friendship with any nation willing to be friendly to us. "The twin pillars of our foreign policy are to seek peace by friendly discussion and to build up our forces proportionately to our responsibilities, while seizing every opportunity to strengthen the League and recreate it as an effective instrument to peace.

"But wo must realise that collective security is attainable only by willingness of the members of the League to act collectively and effectively in order to prevent aggression. Is the League in such a state as to do that to-day? Actual disloyalty to the League lies in pretending that it is capable of func-' tioning beyond its power. But let us not abandon the idea of a bigger and bettor League in future. Public Registration

"Britons would not want to interfere in a case such as that of Germany and Austria, where two States desired to join, but where the methods of union were most distasteful to the British Government and profoundly shocked public opinion.

"I welcome the spirit behind the suggestion to create a voluntary register of Britons for public service, but I do not think it would give satisfactory results in peacetime. We have already prepared a scheme of compulsory registration which, in an emergency, could im- x mediately be operative." Mr. Chamberlain scouted the idea that the Government expected an early war and added that the exact contrary was the case.

NATIONS' DIFFERENCES SEARCH FOR SOLUTION BRITISH CONVERSATIONS MINISTERS STRESS VALUE (Received April 10, 6.30 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, April 9 The Dominions Secretary, Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald, speaking at Plymouth, said they could not exclude from the circle of nations any nation at all, however much they might disagree with its domestic or international policy. It was for that reason that the National Government some time ago had opened conversations with the two Powers in Europe with whom there had been great differences of opinion. The Government maintained its belief in the real universality of the League of Nations as the great hopp t for international peace, and it was endeavouring to restore international cooperation on a really comprehensive basis. The Government believed it was still possible for those who had differences to sit down and reach agreement by negotiation instead of by force. That was why Britain had started discussions with Germany, which had been violently interrupted, and discussions with Italy, which were progressing somewhat more satisfactorily. It did not mean that the Government had started these discussions because it was weak or timid. It was taking that way because the Government was sane. However, if war came Britain had almost immeasurable financial resources and her defence forces were quite adequate to preserve her position and honour. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Earl Winterton, who has charge of all air matters on the service side, in a speech at Shoreham-by-the-Sea, said the object of the Government's foreign policy was to promote peace and reconciliation among the nations of the world and to try to find a solution of the grave differences which undoubtedly existed between not only the Government but the people of Britain and certain great Powers abroad. It was becoming very clear that the Socialists and the Liberals of the Opposition believed quite sincerely that an alliance between what they called the democratic Powers—France, Russia and Britain —against the Fascist Powers—by which they meant Germany, Italy and Japan—should be formed. Such an alliance would be a certain prelude to eventual war on an all-European scale. Far better was it for Britain to work for appeasement while continuing to act in the closest possible contact with her nearest neighbour and friend—France—which, in spite of the great difficulties she possessed in her soil and the mass of her people, was a wonderful combination of strength and virility, and like Britain wished only to live her own life in peace under a democratic Constitution.