FOREIGN POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23436, 26 February 1938, Page 13

FOREIGN POLICY

!THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH ITALY MINISTERS’ DIFFERENCES HOUSE OF LORDS DISCUSSION F (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) I RUGBY, Feb. 24. In the House of Lords there was • discussion on Mr Anthony Eden’s resignation. Lord Allen welcomed the Government’s decision. Viscount Cecil protested against the argument used by the Government supporters, which implied that the League policy meant an attitude of-negation to the just claims of’ any Power. It was untrue to suggest that the League was against negotiations. He declared that union in Europe or peace would never be obtained except by establishing_ the supremacy of law based on justice. Lord Brocket said he felt that Mr Eden’s resignation would make Italy take an entirely different view of Britain, and he welcomed the

change. Lord Strabolgi thought the Government had made a radical and serious change in its foreign policy, which the Opposition must denounce, although it had no desire to see a quarrel with Italy. Lord Halifax, replying, said that all the members of the Government, including Mr Eden, were agreed that conversations with Italy were desirable, and he outlined! the incidents leading up to the difference of view between Mr Chamberlain and Mr Eden. Lord Lothian said: “Italy can do us as much damage in the Mediterranean as we can do > to Italy. There is no halfway house'between friendship and hostility. Unless there is confidence everything each does will cause suspicion to the other.” Lord Londonderry favoured a four-Power pact between England. France, Italy and Germany. He ex- / pressed the opinion that they might be on the threshold of an era of world peace. Lord Ponsonby (Labour) said he differed from the Labour manifesto. In his view Mr Chamberlain was absolutely right. It was no good cold-shouldering nations _ whose fprms of Government were different from ours. LORD HALIFAX’S VIEWS POLICY INSPIRED BY HOPE (British Official Wireless) f! RUGBY, Feb. 24. Lord Halifax maintained that the Government’s policy was not dictated by fear, but was inspired by hope.. The constant object of British foreign policy must be peace, and the Government was not prepared to allow an opportunity to pass of securing peace by action, for which the present might be the psychological moment.. “We are told," he added, “that the resignation of Mr Eden marks a complete change in policy. That is not so.” Lord Halifax maintained that the Prime Minister supported the League, and had given an assurance that he would not tear up one single article of the Covenant nor abandon even Article 16. Regarding Abyssinia, he asked them to face facts, and said the conquest of that country could only have been prevented by war. There were very few indeed with responsibility who were prepared to face that. “I am not in the least afraid of Italy or of any.other Power in the world. I am not afraid ‘of war in the sense that I fear defeat because I know the temper of this country, and know it will never embark on war unless it is thought right and inevitable. , I know also that having embarked on war, it will not let go until, as usual, it has won, but I, and everybody else, detest war.” Concluding, Lord Halifax said: We shall refuse to hold our hands and merely drift along in dangerous times, making warlike noises in the ship in order to encourage the passengers.” He maintained that the debate showed that the preponderance of opinion was behind the Government in this matter. THE ABSENCE OF FRANCE A SERIOUS SITUATION LONDON, Feb. 24. In the House of Lords Lord Addison said Mr Chamberlain was within his rights in opening negotiations with Italy, but it was an inauspicious beginning. The absence of France from the discussions, by which she was vitally affected, created a dangerous situation. Signor Mussolini was short of cash. It was extraordinary that tho present moment should be chosen to come to the assistance of an embarrassed dictator. Any proposal to lend money would be received with a storm of opposition. The Prime Minister had deplored the incompetency of the League, but it was largely due to the conduct of the British Government that only two Powers were pleased with events—those who made use of prison concentration camps and the bludgeon to produce unanimity among their citizens. Britain’s friends throughout the world were dismayed. Lord Lothian (Opposition, Liberal) unexpectedly supported the Government. He explained that he spoke personally. He had not consulted his Liberal colleagues. The League had failed, he said, because it put peace first and justice second, whereas justice was the only condition on which peace could rest. The Prime Minister’s attitude that the League no longer conformed to realities and was more likely to lead to war than to jpeace had increasingly gained ground. THE PRIME MINISTER EXCLUSIVE CONTROL LONDON, Feb. 24. The Associated Press says: “ It is becoming more evident every minute that Mr Chamberlain is concentrating around himself a control more exclusive than anything hitherto experienced under British constitutional government. Henceforth it may be found that all policy measures will be born at No. 10 Downing street as distinct from the respective Government departments. Mr Chamberlain will be the Government. His Cabinet colleagues may -be little more than conventional subordinates. The bearing on

Anglo-dominion relations cannot be exaggerated, because however divergent are the views regarding Mr Eden’s policy, nobody denies that he made possible a steady and consistent interpretation of it abroad. He spread frankness between the Foreign Office and the public here and in the dominions, rendering it possible for newspapers to keep the public and the dominions abreast of his policy, whereas all this is now threatened with curtailment, if not with extinction.” GENERAL HERTZOG’S SUPPORT CAPETOWN, Feb. 24. Expressing complete confidence in Mr Chamberlain, General Hertzog said: “ Mr Chamberlain has my full support in his policy and in the method in which he is executing it.” TRIBUTE TO MR EDEN “THIS BRILLIANT MAN” (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Feb. 24. The talks with Italy and Mr Eden’s resignation were referred to by Sir John Simon in a speech at Birmingham, In regard to Mr Eden, he expressed the hope that the loss of this brilliant man was only temporary. As to the cause of the resignation, he said the rest of the Cabinet had at no time been conscious of the existence of any such fundamental divergence of views between Mr Chamberlain and Mr Eden as the words of the latter would suggest. They had all worked together on terms of close cordiality, and the broad objects of their policy were the objects of them all. There was no difference whatever on the questions of the desirability of having conversations with Italy. The immediate issue was .the question of time and place. Mr Eden’s departure was a cause of the deepest regret, and to some of them the cause was bewildering. Sir John Simon contended that Mr Chamberlain’s policy would appeal to the people of Britain because it was a positive policy and its justification did not depend on the result of the conversations. LADY AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN TALKS WITH ITALIAN LEADERS LONDON, Feb. 24. The Rome correspondent of the British United Press quotes an authoritative source as stating that Lady Austen Chamberlain had several talks with Signor Mussolini and Count Ciano. It is understood that she wrote assuring Mr Neville Chamberlain that Italy had no aggressive and no destructive designs against Britain. On the contrary Signor Mussolini desired better relations with Britain on a basis of mutual recognition of vital but unconflicting interests of the two countries.