POLICY OF PEACE

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

POLICY OF PEACE

BRITAIN'S PRINCIPLES ROLE OF TH I: LEAGUE ASSEMBLY NOT FAVOURED NOT A UNIVERSAL BODY By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless RUGBY, April 8

The Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, speaking at Bristol, emphasised that the aim of British foreign policy was peace, and reiterated Britain's hopes for the League of Nations. Early in his speech Lord Halifax paid a tribute to Mr. Eden, and said : "I look forward to the time when the country will again enjoy the benefit of his service and guidance in administration."

Proceeding, Lord Halifax said: "I have stated that while men and women of all parties will agree with the main objective of our policy, which must be honourable peace, they may and do differ as to the method by which it can most surely be achieved." In considering foreign policy, they must be prepared to face facts. Many people thought the League Assembly ought to be called, that it might pass resolutions condemning things of which British opinion was held to disapprove, but he could not believe this would do any good to the League or to the world.

The League had a long record of achievement in many fields to its credit, but it was also necessary to recognise that the League was not, and never had been, the universal body for which its founders hoped. Non-intervention in Spain

Lord Halifax said he had never minimised either the extent or the mischief of the breaches of the Spanish nonintervention agreement, but he did not believe that non-intervention had been a one-sided policy working in favour of General Franco.

Moreover, it was only the non-inter-vention policy which had prevented the Spanish civil war from developing into a general European conflagration, of which no one could foresee the end.

"This nation will have no Spanish blood upon its hands," said Lord Halifax. "It has been our privilege to render help to both sides through different forms of humanitarian rescue work, which has brought honour and gratitude to those engaged, and not the least to the British Navy. It must be everyone's hope that before long we may be not less able to render disinterested service in the task of peaceful reconstruction. Political Capacity oi the League "We still intend to make the fullest use we can of the League of Nations," continued the Minister, "within limits which we are obliged to recognise, and 1 do not think those are disloyal to the League ideal who have regard to its actual capacity on the political side.

"It is no fault of the League, and still less of the British Government — but it is the plain truth that—if wo were to act as some suggest, and try to organise a new pattern of collective security against Germany by the present League Powers, we should be doing, the very thing that would be —not only on the long view—destructive of the hope of winning Germany and other Powers back to European co-operation, possibly iii some new form. "Also we should be doing something against which we have always worked, namely, the division of Europe into blocks formally ranged against one another, which in our view must greatly aggravate the risk of an ultimate catastrophe. "We desire to improve our relations wherever we can, because we believe that if we can relieve tension anywhere, we can relieve it everywhere. Better Relation:; with Italy

"We have already succeeded in effecting improved relations with Italy, one of our oldest traditional friends in Europe," continued Lord Halifax. "This, I am very confident, will make its good influence felt, not only as between our two countries, but in all the Mediterranean area, and, indeed, over the whole of Europe. We should have hoen able to make more rapid progress in these efforts if it had not been for the dark clouds overhanging the whole European landscape. "We have repeatedly made plain our position in regard to the Italian conversations, that the conclusion of any agreement which might be reached must be dependent 011 our side upon the settlement of the Spanish question.

"For I think," said Lord Halifax, "that more than any other question in foreign affairs, by reason of issues that in all quarters are felt to be involved, the Spanish civil war has stirred the public conscience."