A BURDEN ON BRITAIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 676, 30 May 1929, Page 9

A BURDEN ON BRITAIN

MONEY LENT TO FRANCE DURING WAR LABOUR’S DEBT ATTITUDE (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) IRAKIS, Wednesday. The Leader of the British Labour Party, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, gave an interview to a representative of ‘‘Le Matin” regarding Mr. Philip Snowden’s speech on May 16, in which the former Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer said his party did not regard the Balfour Note on debt settlement as binding on it. Mr. MacDonald said: “The unhappy discord between Prance and Britain is largely due to the fact that they have not exchanged with sufficient frankness their views on their mutual interests. “Does France realise that the money lent her during the war has become a heavy burden, weighing down industry? When we view the French industrial prosperity and progress we are a little hurt to see our sacrifices and burdens not appreciated fully. “Our debts are preventing our economic re-establishment. That is Mr. Snowden’s feeling. Do not deceive yourselves. Mr. Snowden’s speech represents so widespread a sentiment throughout Britain that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Winston Churchill, decided that it would not be desirable to say more. The Labour Party has never been antagonistic to France. “If the Labour Party is returned to office, we would make an international appeal for equity between France. America and Britain. We must lead, not follow.” A representative of the “Petit Parisien” interviewed Mr. Baldwin, who said: “Whatever Government is elected, it is to be hoped it will remember that Britain kept her word.”