NO SMALL STATE SAFE

Southland Times, Issue 23773, 22 March 1939, Page 5

NO SMALL STATE SAFE

LESSON OF HITLER’S COUP VISCOUNT HALIFAX ADMITS FAILURE OF MUNICH (British Official Wireless) (Received March 21, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, March 20. “What inference are we to draw from this pressure exercised under the threat of force and intervention in the internal struggles of other States?” asked the Foreign Secretary (Viscount Halifax) in a speech in the House of Lords. “Every country which is Germany s neighbour is now uncertain of tomorrow, and every country which values its national identity and sovereignty stands warned against the danger from within, inspired from without.” After referring to the denial to the Rumanian Government of the reported German economic ultimatum, Halifax said that whatever the position might be it was not surprising if the Government at Bucharest, like other Governments, should view with the gravest misgivings the happenings of the last few days.

“I think we have left Germany in no doubt about the British attitude,” he declared. “Although I do not cherish exaggerated hopes of what may be the effect of our protests, it was abundantly right that such protests should be registered.” An unusually large attendance of peers heard Lord Halifax’s statement. The Foreign Secretary began by reviewing the explanations or excuses offered by German apologists for the actions of Herr Hitler’s Government — explanations which, he said, carried scant conviction. It was impossible to believe that the sudden decision of certain Slovak leaders to break away from Prague, followed by a request for German protection, was reached independently of outside influence. As far as the alleged maltreatment of. the ! German minority was concerned, it was (only very shortly before Herr Hitler’s ultimatum to the President of Czechoslovakia (Dr Emil Hacha) that the German Press had renewed its campaign of last summer on behalf of minorities which had been deliberately encouraged to remain in Czechoslovakia after Munich, as centres of German activity and propaganda. It was difficult to avoid the conclusion that the bulk of the incidents held out as justifying German intervention had been deliberately provoked. THREAT OF BOMBING Referring to the visit of Dr Hacha to Berlin and to the suggestion that he had freely consented to the subjugation of his people, Lord Halifax observed: “In view of the circumstances in which he went to Berlin and of the occupation of Czech territory which had already taken place, I think that most sensible people must conclude that there was little pretence of negotiation and that it is more probable that the Czech representatives were presented with an ultimatum under a threat of violence, and that they capitulated to save their people from the horrors of a swift, destructive aerial bombardment.”

The Foreign Secretary then referred to the British protest and to the cancellation of the Ministers’ visit to Berlin and the recall of the British Ambassador. The Government, he said, felt that the development of an understanding on trade matters was now out of the Question and that that and many other things would have to remain indefinitely postponed. After defending the Munich settlement and the policy which had followed it as one not personal to the Prime Minister but supported also by himself and the whole Cabinet, and fully justified, Lord Halifax said that the long-term policy envisaged in the Anglo-German declaration of the building up of a peaceful Europe on the basis of free consultation on all differences had been disastrously belied by events.

Lord Halifax reviewed the whole situation and said that the Government was placing itself in consultation with other Governments on this question and would continue to do all in its power for these unhappy petfple. He spoke with regret of the frustration of the efforts to create a better Anglo-German understanding. The British people, he said, had not been backward in recognizing some of the mistakes of Versailles, but whenever there had been a chance of making progress Germany had taken some action which had made it impossible. Now the initiative of Munich had been frustrated by Germany’s action, which had given a profound shock to world opinion. It was difficult to see when that initiative could be resumed. “These affairs have raised a wide problem and the events in Czechoslovakia require the British Government and every free people to think again about their attitude in these matters. The British Government has not failed to draw the moral from these events and has lost no time placing itself in close and practical consultation not only with the Dominions but also with the other Governments concerned upon the questions that have suddenly been made so plain.

LESSONS OF HISTORY “It is not possible yet to appreciate fully the consequences of the German action. History records many attempts to impose domination on Europe, but these attempts sooner or later terminated in disaster for those who made them and it has never, in the long run, proved possible to stamp out the spirit of free peoples. If history is any judge, the German people may yet regret the action that has been taken in their name against the people of Czechoslovakia. “Twenty years ago the people of Czechoslovakia recovered their liberty with the support and encouragement of the greater part of the world. They have now been deprived of it by violence. In the course of their long history this will not be the first time that this tenacious, valiant and industrious people have lost their independence, but they have never lost that which is the foundation of their independence—their love of liberty. And, just as after the war the world watched the emergence of the Czech nation, so it will watch today its efforts to preserve intact its cultural identity and, more important, its spiritual freedom under this last and cruel blow of which it has been the victim.” Lord Snell (Labour) said the events in Czechoslovakia had .not surprised Labour members. It appeared that Herr Hitler had deliberately exploited the confidence of a too simple statesman to humiliate Mr Chamberlain in the eyes of the world. There had never been the least chance of converting the dictators into good Europeans, he said. The Marquis of Crewe urged Britain to join in every possible way and to any possible extent countries which felt that an outrage had been committed the like of which could not be repeated.