NEW FRONTIER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23161, 6 October 1938, Page 13

NEW FRONTIER

CZECH REPUBLIC BRITISH GUARANTEE I DEBATE IN COMMONS : • r LABOUR AMENDMENT / ■ By Telegraphs—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 5, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. r> Although the formal treaty to guarantee the new Czech frontier had not yet been drawn up, the British Govornment felt an obligation to Czechoslovakia to treat the guarantee as now in force, said Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, in the , House of Commons yesterday. In the event, therefore, of an act of aggression against Czechoslovakia, the British Government would cerfeel bound to take all steps in her power to see that the integrity of Czechoslovakia was preserved. Sir Thomas said the Dominions had •' left no doubt of their support of the . action of the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, who had shown timely / ; reasonableness, as had Dr. Benes, Presi- " dent of the/Czechs. A Labour amendment to tho Government's motion seeking the approval of the House of the steps taken at Munich , to avert war will Jbe moved to-day by Sir. Arthur Greenwood. The amendment reads as follows: . ■ "That this Houso, while profoundly T . relieved that war has for the present t been averted, does not approve of the . policy which led to the sacrifice of .Czechoslovakia under a threat of armed force, the humiliation of Britain and its exposure to grave dangers; and realising the intense desire of all ' ' peoples for lasting peace, demands active support of the method of collective security through the League of Nations and the Government's immedi- - ate initiation of proposals for the summoning of a world conference to consider the removal of economic and politick! grievances imperilling peace."

" GREATER DANGER " THE LABOUR ATTACK I . ■ EFFECT ON SMALL POWERS MAXTON GROUP APPROVES ■.— ——. m (Received October 5, 5.5 p.m.) British "Wireless 'RUGBY. Oct. 4 The debate* in the House of Commons on the -Czech crisis was continued for the Opposition to-day by Mr. |; Herbert Morrison (Labour —Hackney), 'r who said that by a policy of, weakening, the moral authority of the League,' f and destroying' the faith of small States in the collective system, and by an attitude., of . political discrimination against Russia, the Government had brought Britain into a . position .of greater daijger. , v ' The Government had turned away f;' - from the building up of a combination | of peaceful Powers, and left nations • which might have followed Britain and i stood by her in collective action to draw the conclusion that they would be wiser to join up with dictatorships. As a final step in this mistaken policy the , Government acquiesced in the weakening of Czechoslovakia . arid the augmentation of Germany's strength by 400,000 trained inen and £25,000,000 Worth of armaments. ' , . From being an asset on the side of peace as a quite important military Power loyally. co-operating within the League, this policy had transformed Czechoslovakia into a debit in th,c form of the guarantee which it wa« proposed Britain should give, of her new §v; frontiers. . V

' Mr. James Maxton, leader of the •A International Labour Party, which anv:nounced last Week its unqualified op- - position to war in whatever circumt stances it might bo undertaken, said : Mr. Chamberlain had done something „ the common people of the world wanted ■ done. Now there was a breathing space, - v and every scrap of human intollcct should be'brought to bear to make the breathing space into real world peace.

APPROVAL IN GERMANY MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S SPEECH ; DETAILED REPORT BROADCAST BERLIN, Oct. 4 .' I, v Commenting on Mr. Chamberlain s speech on*tho German-Czech crisis the newspaper Tageblatt says: "The Houso of Commons was convened after an tJ- unprecedented demonstration of faith by ' the King and. the nation in Mr. Chamberlain. We. cannot regard as politically v, responsible the little unbending group presentingthe resolution from Lord •4 Cecil and others against surrender to Hitler's power." Extracts from Mr. A. Duff Cooper's lptijs ß P occ h were published by the official news agepcy without comment. .' A detailed report of Mr. Chamberlain's speech was broadcast to German}'. The Rome correspondent of Reuter's . news agency says that Mr. Chamberlain's speech was warmly approved ■ there.