INTENSE INTEREST

Southland Times, Issue 22042, 15 June 1933, Page 7

INTENSE INTEREST

COMMONS DISAPPOINTED NO COMPLETE STATEMENT TENSION AT WHITEHALL (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, June 13. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Neville Chamberlain, was unable to make in the House of Commons tonight the full statement he had hoped to make regarding the war debt instalment. It was known that there had been constant communications by cable and wireless between the Washington Embassy and London during the day, and it was first announced that Mr Chamberlain would speak at 6.30 p.m. Later he said he hoped to make a statement at 10 p.m. An extremely interested House was again disappointed, for at 10.10 p.m. the Chancellor said he was even then unable to make any complete statement on the June instalment. He said, however, that there had been a lengthy exchange of views between the British and United States Governments. “The British Ambassador in Washington has to-day handed to the State Department a Note setting forth the British proposals. We expect to receive the President’s reply to-morrow,” he said. “We have no reason to suppose it will be other than satisfactory to us, but as it has not yet reached us, I am not in a position to state its terms. Mr Chamberlain said he understood that arrangements had been made by which it would be possible for the debate to be adjourned until ten to-mor-row night, and he hoped he would then be able to make a complete statement on all the documents exchanged between the British and United States Governments. Excitement in Crowded House. The House of Commons was packed, everyone awaiting Mr Chamberlain’s statement. The entire Cabinet excepting Mr MacDonald and Mr Chamberlain were on the front bench until 5.45, when Mr Baldwin, Mr Walter Runciman and Mr J. H. Thomas were suddenly called behind the Speaker’s chair. The atmosphere became electric as it was realized a hitch had occurred. It is believed that Mr Roosevelt suddenly changed his mind and desired to avoid the necessity of immediately facing Congress. He therefore wished to postpone his statement till June 15. The full Cabinet met hurriedly. Ministers were in a quandary, more especially since Mr Roosevelt’s original decision caused such relief. The news is now common property, as it is impossible to withhold a statement of such magnitude which is no longer a Cabinet secret. Ministers sat for a few minutes, after which the Atlantic telephone and cables were again buzzing to urge the desirability of an immediate statement. It was then announced that Mr Chamberlain would speak at 10 o’clock to-night. Mr Chamberlain appeared at 10.10 and further startled the House by announcing that details could not yet be disclosed. Over the Heads of Congress. The Sun Service learned that Cabinet’s decision to postpone the statement until Wednesday is due to Mr Roosevelt’s desire to immediately follow the announcement in America with a personal broadcast throughout the continent, thus appealing to the populace over the heads of Congress. It is understood he will reiterate—as in the despatch to Britain —consistent support for a practical debt settlement, and he will propose as a part of an AngloAmerican undertaking immediate nego-

tiations, possible in London, in order to secure a final equitable discharge. . The Sun says: “The debt situation is changing hourly and has provided Whitehall with thirty hours continuous tension, comparable to the war-time crisis. Three Cabinet meetings and several Cabinet sub-committee meetings succeeded each other within eighteen hours. Ministers’ officials were rushing to telephones and motoring between the Economic Conference and Downing Street. A mere handful were aware of Mr Roosevelt’s momentous decision, details of which Mr Chamberlain is drafting into a statement in a locked room behind the conference lobby.”