GERMAN PEOPLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23226, 21 December 1938, Page 13

GERMAN PEOPLE

FRIENDSHIP DESIRED QUALITIES RECOGNISED CO-OPERATION NEEDED BRITAIN AWAITS SIGN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received December 20, (>.30 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Dec. 19 Referring to Germany in the course of his speech in the House of Commons, Mr. Chamberlain said the relations he would like to see were as set forth in the Munich declaration. There was, among the British people, recognition of the great qualities of the German people, and a strong desire to see them cooperating in the restoration of European civilisation. No spirit of vindictiveness remained from tho Great War. There was no desire to hamper Germany's development or cramp its' tremendous vitality. "On the contrary, we are firm in the conviction that unless this strong, virile people can be induced, in partnership with others, to improve the general lot," said tlie Prime Minister, "there will be neither peace nor progress in Europe in things that make life worth living. Not Enough to Express Wish for Peace "If by any word spoken in this House I could give some sort of assurance, going deeper than any formal statement of policy, that in this country there is an earnest and constant desire that the peoples of Britain: and Germany, together with other members of European nations, should find means to co-operate in. removing the menace of war I believe I shouid be expressing not only our own feelings, but thoso of many other countries throughout the world which are looking to us to lead them out of their troubles.

"At the same time I must add that it is not enough for us to express that desire. It takes two to make an agreement as it takes two to make war. I am still waiting for a sign from thoso who speak for the German people that they share this desire and aro prepared to make their contribution to peace.

"To reproach us with going on with rearmament after Munich is strangely to ignore facts patent to all. We are ready at any time to discuss a limitation of armaments on the basis that all will contribute to that limitation with due regard to their own safety. However, as long as others are going on arming day and night we are hound to do the same because, although reason is the finest weapon in tho world it has little chance to assert itself where force is supreme. Position in the Far East "It would be a tragic blunder to mistake our love of peace and our faculty for compromise for weakness. The democratic system has its failures, but it has this virtue that in moments of crisis it invokes strength and unanimity which spring from conviction and which are expressed in the wholehearted will of the people." Mr. Chamberlain then referred to tho position in the Far East, which had to be considered, he said, when taking account of the position nearer home. In the face of forces which had been loosed simultaneously in the Far East and in Europe, however, it could not be expected that the present or any other British Government could secure satisfaction for every claim as it arose under such abnormal conditions. Mr. Chamberlain concluded his speech with the declaration of his conviction that the Government's foreign policy in the last 18 months had been right all along. LIBERAL CRITICS "PROBLEM MISCONCEIVED'' DEALING WITH AGGRESSORS MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S DOUBTS (Received December 20, 6.30 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON. Dec. 10 The Opposition Liberal Leader, Sir Archibald Sinclair, who spoke after the Prime Minister in the debate in the House of Commons, discussed Mr. Chamberlain's suggestion that the only alternative to his policy was war. Sir Archibald said that on the Liberal benches they repudiated the doctrine of the inevitability of war. It was tho abandonment of the principles of the League Covenant which had brought Europe to tho edgo of war. What caused him mistrust, Sir Archibald Sinclair continued, was the evidence in the Prime Minister's speeches that he misconceived the whole problem so that he failed to see that the controversy was not between those who believed in the inevitability of wpr and those who did not, but between those who thought with Mr. Chamberlain that peace would bo secured by appeasing aggression with concessions and those who believed that one-sided concessions stimulated the invention of fresh grievances. Mr. Lloyd George also deprecated the tendency to represent tho critics of the Government's policy as advocates of war. The only question was which was the better method of achieving peace. Mr. Lloyd George expressed doubt whether the Prime Minister was a match for those whom tho speaker described as astute, crafty and unscrupulous dictators, with whom ho had to negotiate. < Winding up the debate, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Simon, contended that nothing had happened since Munich to justify tho reversal of the verdict of the House which had then approved tho Government's policy. Sir John said Mr. Chamberlain persisted in seeking peace when everybody else despaired. The general verdict of tho world was that he had saved Europe from war. MEETING WITH GOERING NOTHING KNOWN IN LONDON (Received December 20, 6.6 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Dec. 30 Nothing is known in London of the reported intended visit to Italy while Mr. Chamberlain is in Borne of FieldMarshal Goering, and another report that Mr. Chamberlain may visit Berlin to see Herr. Hitler is without foundation.