HORROR VOICED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19550, 4 February 1938, Page 5

HORROR VOICED

CIVILIAN BOMBING

RESOLUTION IN COMMONS

MR. EDEN OUTSPOKEN

MENACE TO THE WORLD

EFFORTS FOR- AGREEMENT

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Asßn.) (Reed. Feb. 4, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 3.

At the conclusion of a strong speech delivered in the House of Commons to-day by Mr. Anthony Eden, Foreign Secretary, who outlined the steps taken to strengthen 'the naval patrols in the Mediterranean, the House adopted, without division, the following Labour motion: “In the opinion of the House, the growing horror of the aerial bombardment of defenceless civilians should be expressed in an international agreement to co-operate in its prohibition, and urges-the Government to exert its influence to this end.’’

Major C. R. Attlee, Leader of the Opposition, urged the Government to notify General Franco that further outrages against British subjects would be met by the confiscation of one or more of his ships. The Daily Telegraph’s Paris correspondent says that official quarters state that France will support with complete solidarity any British measures to prevent a recurrence of the Mediterranean piracy. Back to Cave Dwelling Mr. Eden, supporting the motion, said that unless something could be done to meet this menace in the latter part of this century the people of the world were going to live like troglodytes as they did in the days of the cave dwellers. The essential thing was whether any steps could be taken, and, .if so, what steps to reduce the suffering of the civilian population from the uses of this bombing weapon.

He felt certain that France would join in any wider international endeavour in this direction. The German Chancellor also had expressed himself as in favour of an endeavour of this kind and he was sure that they could count on his sympathy and support. Mr. Eden disclosed that some months ago the British Government had initiated an exhaustive work on the subject by competent Government departmetn of State.

“We thought that it was necessary to make a thorough survey before contemplating the initiative or an approach to any other Governments,” he said. "The complexities of the problem are such that it is of little avail to approach others unless you have examined the difficulties and know how you are going to.meet the very formidable objections that may be raised.” Loyalists Cease Reprisals This survey, he added, would be finished in the near future, and he assured the House that the Government’s objective was to get a general international agreement on the subject.

It is authoritatively Stated in Paris that the Spanish Government has decided to cease all air reprisals immediately if Salamanca undertakes to end the aerial attacks.

It rs reported from Barcelona that the Government has ordered the suspension of all air raids, even reprisals for the onslaught on Barcelona, during the English and French efforts to end such attacks. A report from Perpignan states that insurgent aircraft bombed near Figueras a number of American ambulances and 40 lorries driven by Frenchmen carrying food to the Government. Three perreru were killed and many wouna^u.

Reports from Brussels and Paris indicate how fully public opinion on the Continent shares the dismay aroused in London by the recent accounts of air raids in Spain and the desire to see an end put to the terrorisation of civilian populations behind either side of the Spanish fronts.