BRITAIN'S POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23330, 23 October 1937, Page 13

BRITAIN'S POLICY

REARMAMENT PROGRAMME NO STRAINS OF REVENGE STATEMENT BY MR EDEN HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Oct. 21. Parliament reassembled to-day, and in the House of Commons Mr Anthony Eden opened the debate on international affairs. The House was crowded. The Russian, Belgian, Argentine, Spanish and Chinese Ambassadors listened to the speeches from the Distinguished Strangers' Gallery. ■ Mr Eden began by reviewing the events in the Mediterranean. He said the British Government would not cease to be sincerely grateful for the part played by the signatories to the Nyon agreement. After Italy's reply to the invitation to join in the tripartite conversations, France and Britain had thought it only fair to make it plain that if the Non-inter-vention Committee could not achieve results within a limited period, their Governments would have to be free to resume liberty of action. The British Government did this, not because it had ceased to believe in non-intervention, but because no Government could continue to associate itself for an indefinite period with an international agreement that was being constantly violated. At the end of Tuesday's meeting of the Non-intervention Committee Mr confessed that he saw no alternative but that the next day the committee should report failure, with all the consequences that such a decision must inevitably entail, but at the eleventh hour came a new and welcome contribution by Italy. The chief difficulty regarding the withdrawal of volunteers had been in relation to the time between such withdrawals 'and the granting of belligerent rights. On this issue both Italy and Germany had substantially modified their attitudes.

The second stubborn difficulty had been the proportions of withdrawals from either side, on which, without proof of numbers, it had been virtually impossible to reach an agreement. Here, too, Italy had proposed a solution which should be acceptable. The British Government was itself in full accord with this sincerely appreciated contribution to an international agreement which these two concessions undoubtedly implied. " I should be the last to indulge in exaggerated optimism. There are problems enough and to spare still outstanding, but to-day there are real chances of making progress. The British Government will spare no endeavour to see that the progress now once begun proceeds speedily without check. With this end in view, the Non-interven-tion Committee will meet again tomorrow, when it is hoped that the replies of all the Governments to Italy's new offer will be received." Mr Eden denied the reports that yesterday the British Government took some new decision to modify its action. He said he was convinced that the British people were united and emphatic in not wishing its Government to take sides in Spain, and in wishing the Government to do everything in its power, by example and by conference, not to let the principle of non-intervention be finally and irrevocably thrown over. But non-intervention must be sharply distinguished from indifference respecting the territorial integrity of Spain or of British Imperial communications through the Mediterranean.

"Let me therefore once again make it plain that our rearmament bears in it neither overt nor latent strains of revenge either in the Mediterranean or elsewhere. Our position in the Mediterranean is simply that we mean to maintain the right of way on this main arterial road. We never asked, and dr not ask to-day, that the right should be exclusive. My Government is conscious that foreign intervention in Spain is responsible for preventing all progress towards international appeasement. Anyone who wanted to see how completely bad its effect has been should have been at the League Assembly this year. "Once the Spanish question with its attendant problems—strategical and political—ceases to be the nerve centre of international policy it will be possible for the friendly conversations among themselves to restore the relations of traditional amity existing between them in the past." Turning to the Far East, the Foreign Secretary said the paramount desire of everyone must be to see an end put to slaughter, suffering, and misery. The British Government would enter the Brussels Conference with the determination to do eveything in its power to assure the success of its labours.

Mr C. R. Attlee complained thai throughout Mr Eden's speech he had seemed to reiterate that the only thing which inspired the Government's policy was the interest of British Imperialism. Th« Labour Party, he declared, stood for the rule of law and the development of the Commonwealth of Nations, but the Government was back in the ore-war days, taking what his party believed to be a narrow view of British interests. The lesson of Nyon was that when Britain, in conjunction with other Governments, was prepared to act firmly results accrued.

Sir Archibald Sinclair, speaking for the Liberals, said he thought the response to President Roosevelt inadequate. Regarding the Far East, Sir Archibald Sinclair, while urging the use of pressure to bring peace if persuasion failed, thought the nation which must take the lead in such matters was the United States, with her immense interests in China and her lack of preoccupations in Europe. PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH LONDON, Oct. 22. (Received Oct. 22, at 11 p.m.) In the House of Commons Mr J. McGovern (Lab.) said, in reference to Italy's non-intervention proposal, that he would refuse to believe any statement from Signor Mussolini, who organised the greatest thuggery in history. The Prime Minister, winding up the debate, said that if in foreign affairs "you are going to take the view that no one keeps promises

you will not get far. The Government has to find a practical method of restoring peace. It is no use repeating in parrot fashion that we believe in the League. The League at present provided no guarantee against aggression. It is necessary to find other means pending its development into an effective instrument." The task was to get the volunteers from Spain. The Government would not consider any arrangement if it allowed further, volunteers, arms or munitions to be poured in while volunteers were nominally withdrawn. Count Ciano, as recently as October 15, assured the British Ambassador that Italy had no territorial designs in Spain and no interest in Majorca. He had no reason to believe that the movement of Italian troops to Libya had any connection with current events. With regard to the Nine-Power Conference, Mr Chamberlain said it would be a mistake to enter into it talking about sanctions or force. HOUSE OF LORDS DEBATE LONDON, Oct. 21. During a brief debate in the House of Lords Lord Plymouth made a statement on similar lines to that of Mr Eden. Lord Barnby, dealing with the suggestions of a boycott of Japanese goods, said a boycott generally rebounded to the disadvantage of those proposing it. Lord Strabolgi said Al Capone would have refused to sit on the Non-intervention Committee. It would have been too crooked for him.