PACT OF MUTUAL AID

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21360, 1 June 1939, Page 9

PACT OF MUTUAL AID

SOVIET’S ANSWER AWAITED

United Front Against

Aggression

Criticism By Labour

Conference

Britain Blamed for Delay United Press Association—By Electric • Telegraph—Copyright (Received May 31, 5.5 p.m.) LOI.DON, May 31. The Paris corre.,.dent of ‘‘The Daily Mail” states that >e Russian Ambassador iM, Souritz) told M. Bonnet (French Foreign Minister) that Russia had agreed to join England and France in a mut al aid agreement, which, it is ’-nderstood, will provide in the event of England, France or Russia being attacked that c c .ers will i.e automatically involved. All ' ree will aid Poland or F lania if attacked and will mutually con. ■’ regarding assistance if the Balkans are attacked.

ATTITUDE OF BRITISH LABOUR DELAY IN NEGOTIATIONS CRITICISED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, May 30. The Conference of the British Labour Party, after debating international affairs, passed a resolution expressing concern over the prolonged delay in the conclusion of an anti-aggresslon pact with the Soviet. It condemned the Government’s record and sought the rebuilding of a real League of Nations. Mr P. J. Noel Baker declared that the Government had destroyed the League and that it did not understand the ruthless forces with which it was dealing. He added that the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) had one foot in the eighteenth century and the other in Berlin. Mr Ernest Bevin said that economic stabilisation was only obtainable if Britain were prepared to limit her sovereignty and build up a great commonwealth in which the United States was a partner. Britain must return to the* position of trustee for colonies, most of which she had “pinched” for war material and strategic purposes, while the Interests of the natives had never been considered.

“Now is the opportunity to settle the colonial problem on a new basis,” he declared. “World resources should be pooled and the peoples of Middle Europe and Japan offered more than they can win by war.” Messages to Secret Nazi Press

An Independent Cable Message states that Mr Noel Beker, winding up the debate declared: “Week by week, month by month, we are writing messages for the secret press circulating in Herr Hitler's country. We are trying to make the German people understand that we do not want to encircle them but want to work with them for peace.”

GERMANY’S GESTURE TO DENMARK NON-AGGRESSION PACT United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received May 31, 6.30 p.m.) BERLIN, May 31. A Non-Aggresion Pact between Den-’ mark and Germany is being signed to-day.