BRITISH ATTITUDE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23042, 20 May 1938, Page 11

BRITISH ATTITUDE

SPAIN AND ETHIOPIA HOUSE OF LORDS DEBATE ADVERSE MOTION REJECTED (Received May 10, 5.5 p.m.) British "Wireless RUGBY, May 18 A debate on foreign affairs was initiated in the House of Lords by the Opposition Leader, Lord Snell, who moved: "That in tho opinion of this House the foreign policy of the Government, which includes the acceptance of the sacrifice of Abyssinian independence and is detrimental to the demo-

cratic Goverment of Spain, offers no certainty of any compensating gain to the principles of peace and democracy."

Later Lord Brocket moved an amendment approving of the Government's foreign policy, including the AncloItalian agreement and the nonintervention policy in Spain.

Viscount Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, replied for the Government to the debate.

The House negatived Lord Snell's motion and accepted Lord Brocket's amendment.

PROVINCE FOR SELASSIE ARCHBISHOP'S SUGGESTION LORD HALIFAX ON REALITIES (Received May 10, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. May 10 The suggestion that Signor Mussolini might be induced to offer Haili Selassie a limited area in Abyssinia in which he could be granted internal autonomy under the suzerainty of Italy was strongly pressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the debate in the House of Lords. A condition of the offer would be that Haili Selassie must forgo the title of Emperor and undertake to do his utmost to restrain the chiefs from fighting. Lord Halifax said he fully understood the feeling aroused by anything resembling recognition of the Italian conquest, but it was necessary to reconcile what was ideally right with what was practically possible. "When the choice is between peace and war I feel my duty impels me in the direction of peace," said Lord Halifax. "His Majesty's Government has never condoned the Italian action and it never will do so."