DIPLOMATS BUSY IN EUROPE

Southland Times, Issue 23443, 25 February 1938, Page 7

DIPLOMATS BUSY IN EUROPE

Meetings In Many Capitals WHITEHALL’S “OUTSIDE INFORMANT’’ (United Press Assn.— Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, February 23. The announcement of Britain s new foreign policy has unloosened pent-up diplomatic activity in Europe, says the Australian Associated Press. A session of the British Cabinet today dealt with the forthcoming talks with Signor Mussolini. The Polish Foreign Minister (Colonel Josef Beck) is at present holding important conversations with the German Minister of Aviation (Field-Marshal Hermann Goering) at Warsaw, and the Nazi Foreign Minister (Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop) is expected in Rome next week, when the Non-Intervention Committee will also resume its sittings. France is expected to confer with Britain in the near future. The talks between Britain and Germany which were opened by Viscount Halifax and Herr Hitler will be resumed before the termination of the conversations between London and It is known that the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) and • the Foreign Office have reason to believe that Signor Mussolini is extremely anxious for an agreement with Britain, but the details are not known, as is customary, by the Foreign Office; they are being conveyed direct to .Mr Chamberlain through an outside informant The Prime Minister told the Leader of the Labour Opposition (Major C. R. Attlee) that he could not make any announcement about the new Foreign Secretary, but that he hoped to do so shortly. He understood and would bear in mind the objections to a Foreign Secretary not a member of the House of Commons to. which Mr Attlee had called his attention. Referring to Mr W. S. Morrisons assurances, Mr Chamberlain said that the entire Ministry had assured him that it had not considered themselves under threat of duress over the decisions reached during the differences between himself and Mr Eden.

GERMANY NOT SURE ABOUT FUTURE FAILURE OF NEW BRITISH POLICY FEARED (Received February 24, 7.5 b p.m.) LONDON, February 23. The Berlin correspondent of The Times says that the political barometer was high this morning after Mr Chamberlain’s victory in the House of Commons but distinctly lower in the evening, political circles being uncertain whether it really indicates a turning point in British policy. Mr Chamberlain won his case for an attempt to reach an understanding with the Powers outside the collective system, but his own declarations and the temper of supporters may leave him too little freedom to succeed in his attempts. FRANCE MAY ALSO APPROACH ITALY M. DELBOS PERSUADED NOT TO RESIGN PARIS, February 23. It is confirmed that the French Foreign Minister (M. Yvon Delbos) offered to resign yesterday because of his close collaboration with Mr Eden’s policy. The Ministers unanimously refused to accept. M. Delbos told the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies that if the Anglo-Italian talks succeeded France would consider similar discussions -subject to certain guarantees. M. Delbos, however, denies that he intended to resign. NO ITALIAN REQUESTS FOR CREDITS , (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, February 23. The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon) replying to a question in the House of Commons said that no request had been received from representatives of Italian firms in London for extensive credits with a Government guarantee.