ACCUSED OF RASHNESS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1930, Page 9

ACCUSED OF RASHNESS

LABOUR'S RUSSIAN POLICY PROPAGANDA IN BRITAIN MR. HENDERSON’S DEFENCE British Wirelese. Rugby, June 8. ■ Before th© House of Commons adjourned to-day for the Whitsuntide holiday, Mr. Oliver Locker-Lampson raised the questions of relatione with Russia. Sir Austen Chamberlain, former Conservative Foreign Secretary, said it was rash of the first Labour Government of 1924 to sign the new convention giving further recognition to the Soviet Government while it was in opeu revolt. It was still rasher to sign the recent second convention with its formal recognition of the Soviet de jure government of. Russia, when the latter had not altered its attitude, and to resume diplomatic relations on an agreement which the Foreign Secretary, at. tne time he signed it, must have, known was differently .interpreted, in one sense by himself and in another by the soviet Government. ■ Sir Austen pointed out that the Foreign Secretary had given an undertaking that Soviet propaganda would not be tolerated in any form or at any time, but that propaganda had. never eeased for a day; it was as active today.as ever. The Foreign Secretary had allowed his solemn word to be treated with contempt by the Government with which . he had established' honourable relations and which had promised to refrain from this propaganda. The Soviet authorities boasted of the action which Mr. Henderson had said he would not tolerate. The time had come when Mr. Henderson ought to say whether he was going to keep the pledge he gave the . House. Was he going ,to insist on the cessation of this propaganda at home, in India and elsewhere?

“LIBERALS ALSO COMMITTED.” Mr. A. Henderson, replying, said that the whole Liberal Party, or practically the whole of it, had committed itself just as definitely as the Labour Party at the general election to the essential importance of changing the policy of th© Conservative Government regardino- the recognition of Russia. The Conservative Party was opposed to recognition, the Labour Party was in favour of it, and one would better begin by appreciating that there was a big gnlf between the two parties. Did anyone try to persuade himself that if one outlawed a country like Russia it had no effect upon European or world peace ? He did not think anyone would dare to challenge that. Supposing the Labour Government had broken off relations with Russia, there was no guarantee that it would have altered the position respecting propaganda in the slightest. It might have stopped the flow of orders that was beginning to come in and which was likely to come in an increasing degree in a few months. He was not going to try to persuade the House that propaganda was not going on, but he had to bring the propaganda home to the Soviet Government before he could take action. If the Labour or any other Government at that stage, with the present economical position, broke off relations with Russia on the question of propaganda, without being satisfied that the Russian Government was responsible for inspiring or financing it, that Government would not be worthy of its position, and so far as he was concerned he would not be any party to the Government taking such a step. While the Government had responsibility and must consider Russia in its relation to world peace and British trade, it must bo the judge in the first instance of what had occurred. The Government had set up machinery in connection with this matter, and, having set up the machinery, would at the right time take appropriate action. One would have thought the mere fact that the Government had indicated its dissatisfaction with the present position and .set up that machinery would have given satisfaction to members of the House. The result that they all desired was to bring about the cessation of propaganda and to satisfy themselves, if it continued, that the Government •with whom they were in friendly relations was not responsible. He asked the House to continue ite confidence that the Government wae determined the machinery it had set up should test all the information available.