ATTACK ON LAVAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18899, 28 December 1935, Page 13

ATTACK ON LAVAL

FRENCH FOREIGN DEBATE 1 TALK OF WAR RISKS LEAGUE AS THE ANSWER MENACE OF GERMANY (Elcc Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Dec. 28. 2.50 p.m.) PARIS. Dec. 27. During the foreign ' affairs debate in the Chamber of Deputies, M. Blum said that Mr Stanley Baldwin had profited by Sir Samuel Hoare's generous and courageous resignation, but M. Laval had not that recourse, inasmuch as he was both Premier and Foreign Minister. The people, he said, should not complain of Britain, but shou'd applaud her, because her policy of forcefulness was the result n, the true public opinion enlightened by a really free press. M, Laval seemed desirous of facing the country with the alternative "My policy or* war," continued M. Blum. The 'risk of war was that Daly, with her back to the wall, might 'attack the British fleet or the coast of France. There would be no such risk if every country adhered to the League of Nation's instead of casting doubt on fidelity to the .pact or the idea of assistance. Herein lay France's unpardonable mistake, REAL SOURCE OF DANGER The real danger was the rearmament of Germany, to oppose which there must either be a coalition of forces or disarmament. A Franco-Italian alliance would not avert the danger. M. Blum concluded with a direct demand for M. Laval'? overthrow. A volley of applause came from the Left group. The Right hooted, while the Centre remained silent. M. Yvon Delbos, president of the Radical Socialist groups, attacked M. Laval amid cheers from half the Chamber, lie criticised the Government for lack of adherence to the League Covenant and declared that treaties must no longer be torn up like scraps of paper. War must not be declared.: Sanctions, he said, did not mean war any more than courts meant crime. France's security was at. stake. Germany itself must bow to the League if the latter were victorious in the present conflict, but if the League were flouted security, was menaced. SIGN OF WEAKNESS

France, by -.putting the ■'j, brake, tr pn; League action, had encouraged"'"'Ttaly" where the peace plan was not considered a success hut a, sign of weakness, continued M. Delbos. He contended that M. Laval himself recognised that the plan would have prolonged the war. It was necessary, in order to secure peace, to impost; the law of Geneva more than ever. .

M. Paul Rcynaud, a Radical Socialist, made a pro-British speech which scored the success of the day. "You must choose between Italy, an aggressor, and Britain, a defender of the League Covenant,'' he declared. "There is no doubt what the choice must be, for without England it means war. If Germany declared war against France would Britain be with us if we had not fulfilled our obligations under the League? It is a grave error to sacrifice everything for Italy's friendship. The British people's revolt was one of the most magnificent events in British history. Our answer is dictated by England's'cry :■- 'Halt the aggressor.' Fiance must heed that cry." The debate was adjourned.