THE SPANISH SITUATION

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 382, 13 March 1937, Page 5

THE SPANISH SITUATION

WORK OF RELIEF.

ATTITUDE IN ENGLAND. Ban on Belgian Woman to be Lifted. Press Association—Copyright. (Received 10.55 a.m.) London, March 12. The NeWs.Chronicle's Political Correspondent says:—“A number of distinguished foreign politicians, including the French Liberal, M. Basch and Mlle. Blum, President of the Women’s Section of t'hte Qellglan Labour Party, who was scheduled to speak before the Spanish Relief Committee at the Quakers’ headquarters in London, were

stopped at Dover, and warned to leave Britain within 24 hours. Mdlle. Blum was told that if she attended the committee meeting on Spanish relief she would not be allowed to return to England. The Home Office explains that the policy of non-intervention made the step necessary, but the Labour members suggested in the House of Commons that the real reason was panic fear of CommunismIt is pointed out that the Relief Committee does not consist of Communists but of people like Viscount Churchill, Sir Norman Angell, and M. President of the French Trade Unions. When the House of Commons assembled to-day, the Government promised to withdraw the ban on Mdlle. Blum, and the news was immediately communicated to her.

Major C. R. Attlee asked What regulations enabled the officials to exclude distinguished, visitors of all varieties of political opinion without the knowledge of the House of Commons. Other members of the House pointed out that the purpose of the meeting was solely concerned with the provision of food supplies and the care of child refugees.