NOT PUNITIVE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 163, 22 June 1936, Page 6

NOT PUNITIVE

IDEA OF SANCTIONS. i MR. BALDWIN'S VIEW. Would Not Vote To Go To War. LABOUR MANIFESTO. Press Association—^Copyright. London, June 20. Addressing several thousand unionists at Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Mr. Stanley Baldwin declared the Government thought it right to drop sanctions because it did not believe their continuance, even if ail the nations desired it, could be useful and effective. He pointed out that sanctions were introduced to stop war: they were not punitive. "The only way to alter events which have already occurred is to go to war, and I do not know of a single country in Europe prepared to go to war," con- i tinued Mr. Baldwin. "I should not vote for such action." Mr. Baldwin then examined the Labour manifesto, against which he quoted various of his own speeches before, during, and after the general election to prove that the Government had not, as Labour ailegea, misled the nation 'by scrapping its pledges. He first denied that the Government was abandoning the League and then recalled a speech last year in which he pointed out that if the League fell short of its friends' hopes their desire would be to strengthen the weak spots "This is exactly what we are going to he said. He recalled lire statement that sanctions might easily lead to war, adding that it would surely be the bitterest and cruellest irony in history if the League in attempting to enforce peace in a localised area only set fire to the world, starting a war which might run from pole to pole. . Oil Sanctions. Referring to oil sanctions Mr. Baldwin emphasised that they could not be enforced owing to the enormous quantities coining from the United States which, there was no reason to believe, -ould' prohibit exportation. After further quotations dealing with the necessity for collective security 'Mr. Baldwin declared that if the Leagiie had remained a league of all the nations the present situation would not have arisen, because the strength against the aggressor Wcuid have made aggression riot Worth I WhjiC. '...■:.. -.l'- ••. ■' '■ '■ i

Referring to the Labour demand to stop the drift to war Mr. Baldwin said if] there was one way of drifting to war h was to talk about applying sanctions and ; heil doing nothing to encourage the re'--ei uiting of men necessary to work search- i lights and anti-aircraft guns. . : "If Britain were ever again raided we" would be abused by our opponents, in-' eluding Mr. Lioyd George, because we' sch'ttled," sa'id "Those words mean ti&teg less -than that we- ; ra'h 'avvay • from the Italian navy—'that we ran away from war —and people lightly say that and vote against every aeroplane for the air force and every proposal for an extra shell • for the navy. The' thing sedms ■too 'fatuous. ■ ;

"We are making an effort, despite talk regarding loss of prestige, to keep Britain from the perils and horrors of modern war in Europe. We shall'try to obtain collective -security. 'lf Japan, America and Germany would enter the League it would be workable to-morrew, but the nation must hot unde'r-rate' the risks. If it- wi'l'l 'hot ; face danger for the sake of security it must say "so. You 'eannot 'have security, collective or otherwise, on a cheap or second-hand or any system of limited liability. Nevertheless, we must hot surrender 'the 'hope of the 'nations 'rejOmi'hg 'the J League. Also form of disarmament may be practicable. Moreover, however perilous the future may be and whatever ambitions are locked lip in the breasts of dictators they must krtow another war in Europe Would end civilisation and might 1-sad to a revolt -of the peoples against their leaders until Europe would be in a condition of completely bar'Mrbus anarchy. "I hope 'one result ; of the •agitation the Labour Party is attempting to s'tir up will be educative because I tremble to think of the result if when in power Labour tachiled these problems with the lack of knowledge and understanding and the icvity which they exhibit to-day in Parliament and elsewhere. I have nothing to apologise for. We are keeping our course and even -now are considering how to take up these matters in the autumn at Geneva, and I await with equanimity and confidence the result of any campaign undertaken to Weaken bur hands."

Resume Trade. The British Government is preparing to resume trade with Italy when sanctions ■ are lifted, which will be in -the I middle of July if an agreement is reached at Geneva on June 23, says the diplo- - matic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. The co-ordination committee will probably fix the date for common action for general withdrawal. Two thousand delegates at the Liberal j Party convention passed a resolution con- ; demriing "with a deep sense of humilia- I tion and indignation the Government's ,j surrender to the aggressor and betrayal of the League, reaffirming loyalty to the | League and urging the Liberal organisa-' tions to rouse the national conscience to ! the issues at stake." I A group of Government supporters ! ■hc-aded by Brigadier-General E. L. Spears has tabled an amendment to the Labour motion of censure urging the Government not to condone Italian aggression, also to prevent Italy raising credits in Britain as the price of obtaining Italian, co-operation in Europe. Speaking in the Dail Mr. de Valera declared that the opponents of the Government were blaming Britain, especiallyMr. Eden, ofr the failure of sanctions. "I am certain that it was not the fault of Mr Eden for the failure of sanctions, not taken," he said. "Unless the League i;, reformed England will not continue her membership. The Free State will

certainly not support military sanctions, even if the League is reformed." South Africa. General Hertzog declared that the South African policy to stand by sanctions was unchanged as the result of the British Government's decision, says a message from Pretoria. A Cape Town cable states that the Cape Times headed its comment: "Sounding the Retreat," and remarked that it was one of the most 'humiliating declarations that had ever fallen from a British Foreign Secretary. How is it possible now. it asks, to restore the League's full authority after Britain has taken the lead In delivering to the League the most damaging blow it has ever suffered? The French Press mostly asks what will be the next move. "Pertinax" in the Echo de Paris ascribes Britain's change of front as a final realisation of the German danger. The Communist Humanite wants France to take up the leadership that Britain has surrendered, but the Figaro, congratulating Britain on skill in somersaulting at France's expense, thinks that Britain by a courageous lead in the retreat will not only gain a reward from ■ltalv but the respect of all countries which follow the lead and those courageous enough to makee up their minds and act accordingly. A council of the Ministers decided on consideration of the facts to accept the lifting of sanctions.