OVERWHELMING APPROVAL FOR ATLANTIC TREATY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27080, 14 May 1949, Page 7

OVERWHELMING APPROVAL FOR ATLANTIC TREATY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright LONDON, May 12. The House of Commons to-day approved the North Atlantic Treaty by 333 votes to 6. The Foreign Secretary, Mr Ernest Bevin, in moving the Government motion approving the treaty, said that the treaty signatories had been driven to consider how like-minded neighbourly people, whose institutions the Soviet had marked down for destruction, could get together, not for the purpose of attack, but in sheer self-defence. “ The policy followed by the Soviet seems to have been to talk of peace and to accuse others of being warmongers, but at the same time to carry on a policy of promoting unsettlement all round,” added Mr Bevin.

“This situation, if allowed to continue. would inevitably have led ultimately to war, or there would have come a moment when the rest of the world would have reacted violently to the tactics which were being pursued.” safd- Mr Bevin. “A very dangerous situation existed, in which those of us who had a good deal of responsibility kept our counsel and tried to keep steady under the most provocative conditions.” Mr Bevin added that the provocative speeches and,the general attitude of denunciation adopted at every international meeting was a symptom of aggressive intention. He presented the treaty with complete confidence as to its acceptance by the House, the nation, and the peace-loving peoples of the/ world. Mr Bevin continued: “Notwithstanding the establishment of the United Nations and the conclusion of peace treaties with Italy and satellite countries, we were confronted with a grouping of nations in Eastern Europe which I submit was the first deliberate sten taken to create a division in Europe. We witnessed country after country beinf made absolutely subservient to Soviet Russia." Mr Bevir. added that perhaps the most ruthless act which shook the world’s conscience had been the Soviet coup in Czechoslovakia. Greece had never been allowed to live its own life. Turkey was subjected to a war of nerves carried on without respite, and the Western Powers could make but little headway in the German situation.

weak divided nations. The new situation may well-mean recognition of this fact and lead to a final settlement. In my view it will be possible to work things out through the United Nations in such a way .that our very strength will cause the Soviet bloc to show greater willingness to co-operate. This is -not abandoning the idea of oneworld security, neither is it intended to drive any one of us into isolation. It is essentially constructive and defensive. In the long run a situation can be brought about which will make possible disarmament without endangering security. '

“The treaty is an arrangement between certain States for collective selfdefence as foreseen by the United Nations Charter. It is designed to secure parties against aggression from outside until such time as the Security Council has taken the necessary measures. We have learned by bitter experience that we cannot get security at present from the Security Council.”

Mr Bevin said the treaty was in no way incompatible with the AngloSoviet alliance. If both the alliance and the pact could be operated correctly there was hope, that a state of universal peace might be produced ~ Opposition Approval

Mr Churchill said he found himself in general agreement with Mr Bevin’s “ sombre speech.” The Opposition gave a cordial welcome to the pact and thanks to the United States for the splendid part it had played in the world. The Atlantic Treaty, the Brussels Treaty, and the statute of the Council of Europe were the surest guarentee of peace and safety. How could the Atlantic Treaty and Western Union be anything but purely defensive when we consider the great disparity of military strength in Europe? “The military forces of Russia are at least three or four times as great as those which could be sent against them on land. Besides this, they must have their fifth i column in many countries.”

“ However, the blockade has now happily been lifted, and I am convinced that the establishment of this closer link between Atlantic nations has led to second thoughts about the tactics that have been followed regarding Germany, and particularly about Berlin.”

Mr Bevin said Britain had derived the greatest encouragement from the offer of the United States of Marshall Aid. However, Britain’s association with that offer to try to bring succour t’o millions of starving people had been shamefully denounced by Soviet Russia.

Mr Churchill said the absence of Spain from the Atlantic Treaty involved a serious gap in West European strategy, though he did not suggest going any further at present than an interchange of Ambassadors. “Any deed done by the Soviet Government which really makes for a peaceful and friendly intercourse of mankind will have its immediate response. But manoeuvres must be watched with the utmost vigilance.” Mr Churchill ended by expressing his belief that it was the atomic power in the hands of the United States, and this alone, which gave the Western Powers time to take measures of selfprotection. It was the hope of all mankind that the present self-sacri-ficing policy of the United States might be the means of preventing a third world war. Approval on Continent A Brussels message says the Belgian Senate to-day approved the North Atlantic Treaty by 127 votes to 13, thus completing Belgium’s ratification of the alliance. Communist senators voted against ratification. ' The French Cabinet has formally approved the North Atlantic Treaty, and will propose its adoption by Parliament, which will meet on May 17. The Cabinet also approved the Franco-Italian Customs Union and the statute of the Council of Europe.

Mr Bevin said: “At the time when the Marshall Plan was proposed I can assure the House that things looked pretty bad. There was great nervousness and Mr Molotov’s threat, made in Paris when we decided to proceed with the plan, we knew was not an empty one. It will be agreed that, because of the steps that had been taken, these extreme and violent actions are now on the wane.” Mr Bevin said it was natural that thev should turn to those who were their neighbours and friends. “ The accusation has been made that the Atlantic Treaty is an aggressive thing and that it will bring war. My answer to that is that the absence of the Atlantic Treaty did not stop war in 1914 or 1939 I suggest that if a pact like this had existed and a nntential agerpssor had known of it these wars might have been avoided “The real purpose of this treaty is deterrent. Its object is to make aggression appear too risky to those who are making calculations, and to make sure before they start their nefarious game that defeat is their certain end.” Mr Bevin said: “We can no longer Ho hv others as a number of