LABOUR ALLEGES ISOLATIONISM

Southland Times, Issue 23345, 1 November 1937, Page 7

LABOUR ALLEGES ISOLATIONISM

BRITAIN’S PRESENT FOREIGN POLICY ATTITUDE TO REARMAMENT CRITICIZED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, October 29. Britain’s policy was described as one of semi-isolation coupled with national, competitive rearmament by Mr Herbert Morrison, who moved the Labour amendment to the Address-in-Reply in the House of Commons today. Mr Morrison complained that the Government was failing to make the progress it should because of excessive tenderness for private interests. He complained in particular of the delay in air raid precautions, and reiterated Labour’s faith in the system of collective security. The Government, he alleged, was more concerned with preventing the rise of Left governments in Europe than with non-intervention in Spain. Mr Morrison also deplored the lack of proposals for raising the standard of living, and declared that if the Government pursued an isolationist policy it would be in danger of a drift to war without an ally. The Home Secretary (Sir Samuel Hoare) repudiated Mr Morrison’s statements on the foreign policy of the Government. He denied that the Government favoured any ideology. Sir Samuel drew attention to the material progress in Britain which, in his opinion, would continue. He cited a number of statistical indexes to show the great economic activity in the country. He argued that it was easy to exaggerate the part played by the rearmament orders in the stimulation of trade. He thought an important stage in rearmament had now been reached when they would see big production. Referring to air raid precautions, Sir Samuel said he would shortly be in a position to introduce a Bill allocating the duties and making clear the financial relations between the centre and local authorities and providing for a general co-ordination of activities to be mobilized in this new field of defence. He believed that they would be able to build a system chat would very materially assist the general system of defence against air attacks.