WORLD CRISIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23414, 2 August 1939, Page 13

WORLD CRISIS

COMMONS DEBATE PREMIER'S DEFENCE ■ CASE FOR GOVERNMENT MOSCOW'S ATTITUDE By Telegraph —Press Association—Copyright British Wireless LONDON, July 31 The Liberal leader, Sir Archibald Sinclair, to-day opened a foreign -affairs debate in the House of Cojn- " mons. He said the best use that could be made of the debate was not pursue past controversies, but to obtain the most precise information about the principles of the Government's foreign policy at present, and Its practical application in the immediate future. » There was much need for the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, to make jt clear to his supporters that it Avas in fact the jwlicy of himself and his Government to resist aggression and construct a 'peace front for that purpose. The House stood; in need of assurances about the negotiations with Russia. If peace were to bo preserved and aggression stopped the Government must tell the House and tell Germany at what point the line was going to be drawn in regard to Danzig. A victory by Japan in the Far Fast would mean 'the obliteration of British interests in Cliina. Dr. Hugh Dalton, for the Labour Opposition, said Britain was pledged to resist German aggression in Danzig, and the question he wished to ask Mr. Chamberlain )vas at what point was Britain going to resist that aggression? The Labour Party objected very strongly to Parliament being sent away for a recess of indefinite and prolonged duration.

Good Use of Time Made Mr. Chamberlain was received with Ministerial cheers! Answering the criticisms of the previous speakers, he said that anything more agreeable to potential enemies than the suggestion that the Prime Minister was weaker { than the Foreign Secretary in bis determination in carrying out the policy which the Foreign Secretary announced on behalf of the Government he could not imagine. / "1 am asked what we have done since March to build, up a peace front," said Mr. Chamberlain. "I should scarcely hare thought it necessary to ask that question when/the results are apparent . on every side. "The House' is well aware that we have made good use of our time and our defences tyre indeed of a formid- ' able character."

Negotiations with the Soviet

Continuing, Mr. Chamberlain said: "Of course there is no secret about the fact that the - Soviet, Britain and France combined have not hitherto been able to agree upon a definition satisfactory to all parties of the term 'indirect aggression' although all three of us" realise that indirect aggression may be just as dangerous as direct aggression, and all three of us desire .to find a satisfactory method of com- . billing against it.

"But at th 6 same time we are extremely anxious not even to appear to be desirous of encroaching upon the independence of other States, and if we have not agreed so far with the Soviet in the definition of indirect aggression it is because the formula which the Soviet favoured appeared to us to carry that precise signification." "*» Mr. Chamberlain recalled that the 'Anglo-Japanese alliance took six months "to negotiate, the Franco-British Entente of 1904 took nine months, the Anglo-Kussian one of 1907 took 15 months, and the negotiations which led to the Treaty 'of Locarno lasted eight months before they arrived at d conclusion.

• Soviet Seeks Complete Agreement "It would have been possible, per- _ haps, to have made a provisional agreement at an early date with the Soviet, deferring to a' later period the conclusion of a detailed treaty," said the Prime Minister. "It is a course .which /..we pursued with Poland and Turkey, /and the French Government would have been quite ready to follow that a course in this case, but the Soviet thought otherwise. "The Soviet preferred to sign nothing and to initial nothing until we got a complete agreement, and as a result we arc not able to present the world, as I would have liked to do, with even a provisional agreement at f an earlier itage. "The announcement I made to-day at question time regarding a military mission to Moscow shows that we have done something that must be almost .without precedent. Hope in Military Conversations "The Russian Foreign Minister, M. Molotoff, in the course of conversations, "' expressed the view that if we once tagfcn these military conversations, to *hich we attached very great importWee, the political difficulties should not P f ove insuperable. - f"lt is that expression of view which Weighs with us in taking this very Unusual decision, and it certainly is the 'sincere. hope of France and ourselves that these anticipations of M. Molotoff *•11 be realised and that we shall find ' it possible to agree,- not only in substance, but also in form,' upon the Villaining political differences." Local Situation in Danzig Referring to Danzig? Mr. Chamber- . lain said: "The statement I made in c kar and unmistakable terms on July 10 expressed the Government's determination, and I feel that to add to that statement could do nothing to strengthen it and I do not wish to do Bn ything to weaken it. ".'The local situation in Danzig is one frhich has been causing a considerable aQ iount of public apprehension and is obviously one which requires very artful patching, bijt some of the reports I av e seen in the press undoubtedly ave heen exaggerated about the extent - °j tho militarisation which has taken place."