KEEPING TO WORD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18975, 27 March 1936, Page 5

KEEPING TO WORD

BRITAIN'S PLEDGE GRAVE VIEW EXPRESSED CRISIS IN EUROPE ATTITUDE OP HITLER INDICATIONS NOT HELPFUL (KW. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. March 27. noon.) LONDON, March 26. The Sun-Herald service says that: "The speech the nation has long been awaiting." was the verdict, when the Foreign Secretary. Mr. Anthony Eiden, resumed bis seat in the House of Commons after one of the finest utterances from a British Foreign Secretary for years. He never once attempted to hide anything or to show preference for one nation more than another, but. gravely declared : ''l do not view the future with a light "heart." Prolonged cheers followed the statement: "I am not prepared to be the first British Foreign Secretary to go back on Britain's word." It is generally agreed thai Mr. Eden convinced most waverers who feared the White Paper involved additional commitments. The speech is expected to have important reactions oil the Continent, particularly as it was the first plainspoken utterance of British policy for a considerable time. The Daily Telegraph's diplomatic correspondent learns that the German envoy, llerr von Itibbehtrop, in the. course of a lengthy eon versa! ion with Mr. Eden, did not remove the impression that Heir Hitler's attitude diplomatically is not helpful. STAND TN KIIINELAND llerr von Ribhentrop slated that he was unable to foresee that Herr Hitler would make any contribution to pave the way lor an international conference by changing! his attitude regarding the Rhineland. It is understood that Mr. Eden stressed that what is now required is some concession to the view that an international obligation freely negotiated has been violated. Unless this can bo obtained nobody in London believes it will be possible to reach the stage of discussing new treaties and obligations. The Daily Telegraph adds that the Government is aware that the proposed international force is regarded as dead at Westminster. France similarly does not favour it and points out that she did not sponsor it. She attaches more importance to securing a German undertaking not to fortify the Rhineland.

The ■ Rome correspondent of The Times says that official circles are still silent regarding the Locarno proposals. There seems little doubt that, the maintenance of the League sanctions, on the lifting of which Italy counted more strongly than ever since Herr Hitler's move on March 7, has caused much irritation in Borne. It is thought that if Britain succeeds in patching up matters between herself, France and Germany, and the sanctions continue, Italy might find herself uncomfortably isolated, and left to carry on the war in Abyssinia indefinitely against an enemy, who having had a lesson, is now likely to revert to guerilla tactics.