FOREIGN POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26177, 13 June 1946, Page 5

FOREIGN POLICY

BOURNEMOUTH DEBATE MR NOEL-BAKER’S REVIEW (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, June 12. Nearly all the members of the Cabinet were present on the platform at the Bournemouth Labour Party Conference this morning, when Mr Philip Noel-Baker opened a debate on foreign policy. Some resolutions before the conference constituted a direct challenge to the Government, one regretting the Government’s “ apparent continuance of the traditionally Conservative Party policy of power politics abroad,” and urging a return to the Labour policy of support for worldwide Socialist anti-imperialist forces. Mr Noel-Baker began by stressing the magnitude of the problems confronting the Government which was trying to do five jobs at once—first, strengthen the Foreign Service; secondly, deal with most of the national problems; thirdly, make peace treaties; fourthly, undo the economic destruction wrought by war; and, fifthly, build up and inspire the United Nations. Speaking of Foreign Office diplomatic personnel, Mr Noel-Baker said everyone wanted to see the service modernised and its members in contact with living, vital forces in the countries to which they were posted, but when Labour took office the whole service was undermanned and sweeping changes were impossible. Turning to Spain, Mr Noel-Baker said the Franco regime was a creation of the Axis. In international affairs it stood to-day for the Fascist militarism which brought the world to war. The Government had not forgotten the Republicans, but the problem was to help them to get rid of the present regime without plunging the country into the catastrophe of another civil war, and without bringing in a regime no better than that now in power. When .the final stage was reached Indonesia and the world would owe a debt of gratitude not only to the Dutch nation for a great historic act of liberation, but also to Mr Attlee and Mr Bevin for the help they gave. Mr Noel-Baker, summing up the position in Italy and Germany, declared that the conclusion of peace treaties was imperative. If a few key problems could be solved most of the remaining points in peace treaties would quickly fall into place. The Government believed that, if the economic situation could be put right, then they would be on the road to peace. U.N.R.R.A. had been a fine success. It prevented large-scale famine, and played a great part in stopping epidemics. Mr Noel-Baker flayed “ intellectuals ” who sneered at “ this United Nations business.” He added that it was fantastic to suggest that men such as Generalissimo Stalin, Mr Bevin and Mr Byrnes were prepared to abandon their pledges to the United Nations and resign themselves to another war. “The only way in which we can remain united with Russia and America is to found our policy and principles on Article II of the United Nations Charter and accept the Socialist principle that the interests of the nations are not in conflict, but are common interests which can be promoted only by common action. We believe we can make a world without war and have got to do it under the next 10 years.” he said.