COMMON DEFENCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19900, 30 March 1939, Page 5

COMMON DEFENCE

CHECK TO FORCE BRITAIN'S INITIATIVE WELCOMED IN LORDS RESISTANCE TO THREATS FUTURE OF EUROPE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. March 30, 11 a.m.) LONDON, March 29. In the House of Lords, Lord Davies tabled a motion which welcomed the assurances that the Government was considering the desirability of assuming wider mutual obligations to prevent further aggression, and urging die establishment of a financial, economic and military commission by cooperating nations to prepare measures for mutual defence and measures for the restoration of. .Czechoslovakian freedom and independence. Tiie motion also urged- the -Government to consider the establishment of machinery for the impartial settlement of inter-State disputes. Lord Plymouth, replying, said it was clear that the restoration of Czechoslovakia could be effected only by force of arms. Neither Britain nor the others with whom she was consulting, harboured any such design.

Referring to the proposal to establish machinery for the settlement of inter-State disputes, Lord Plymouth said that powerful States even discarded friendly negotiations for the settlement of disputes. They had rcnr'rt.fH to direcr or indirect force. Surely, it was not remotely possible that they would refer grievances to impartial adjudication.

Britain was convinced that no question could not be settled peacefully if goodwill existed, but she was not prepared to negotiate under a threat of force and did not see there was any object in establishing machinery for the settlement of disputes while the world lay under the menace of forcible action.