SETTLEMENT IN EUROPE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23282, 18 August 1945, Page 5

SETTLEMENT IN EUROPE

Divergences Among Victors Mr Churchill Warns Commons By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (7.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 16. The present regime in Germany was purely provisional, and it would not be possible for the Allies to continue indefinitely the bearing of the whole responsibility with the German masses on their hands expecting to be fed, said Mr Churchill, reviewing the Potsdam decisions in the House of Commons. Mr Churchill said: "I therefore strongly advise the encouragement of the assumption of responsibility by trustworthy German local bodies.” Mr Churchill warned the House not to delude themselves into believing that the first conference of the victors was free from disappointment and anxiety "It would be wrong to conceal a possible divergence of view which exists among the victors, or about the state of affairs in Eastern and Middle Europe.” Mr Churchill said he did not blame Mr Attlee or Mr Bevin for this fact. "We British have had very early and increasingly to recognise the limitations of our power and influence in a gaunt world arising from the ruins of this hideous war. I must put on record that in my opinion the provisional western frontier agreed upon for Poland, comprising one-quarter of the arable land of Germany, is not a good augury for the future of Europe. I think a mistake has been made, in which the Polish Government has been an ardent partner, by going far beyond what necessity and equitey require.” Expulsions of Germans Mr Churchill said he was particularly concerned over reports of conditions under which the expulsion of Germans from Poland were being carried out. Eight or nine million people lived in these regions before tne war, of which the Polish Government said there were still one and a half millions not yet expelled. Millions must take refuge within the British and American lines, thus increasing the food stringency on our sectors. “But enormous numbers are unaccounted for. Where have they gone? What is their fate?”

Mr Churchill expressed dissatisfaction at the totalitarian trend of certain European countries. “There are millions of homes in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia where fear is the main preoccupation of family life.” Mr Churchill declared that freedom from fear in the Atlantic Charter had been interpreted as freedom from fear of invasion by a foreign country, but that was not the fear of the ordinary European families to-night. Their fear was of the policeman knocking at the door. He urged the Government in its foreign policy to strike a continuous note of freedom and fair play.

Professoi' Laski’s Authority Mr Churchill, after saying that he was anxious to avoid controversial questions, added that he hoped Mr Attlee would soon define Professor Laski’s precise authority, and explain Professor Laski’s statement that British policy toward Greece had entirely changed. Professor Laski also appeared to contemplate vehement intervention in Spain. If that was the Government’s policy, Mr Attlee ought to say so. Mr Attlee, replying, said that Mr Churchill knew that Professor Laski was on common ground with himself, and had somewhat ebullient phraseology. (Laughter.) Professor Laski, like anybody else, claimed the rights of individual action. He had the right to express a view, but Ministers laid down the Government policy, and any newspaper or foreign Power or politician thinking the Government's policy was laid down by anyone except Labour Ministers was greatly mistaken. Mr Attlee said the war had left behind difficult problems They must be careful not to give false impressions. He was not replying to Mr Churchill regarding the changes in population in Central Europe, but Potsdam had reached agreement on many subjects. He hoped, others would be solved at the Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meetings. A number of others must remain for settlement at the peace conference.

Many Governments in Europe did not rest on sure foundations or popular election. It was optimistic to .expect the political life of those countries to settle down evenly, quickly or smoothly. It was the Government’s intention to secure that the people’s will prevailed. The Government was looking forward to emergence in those countries of democratic government by free election. It was necessary to realise also that the economic position was very grave. Many people, in spite of all that could be done, would go cold and hungry this winter. The reason was that damage-to communications was tremendous, and there was difficulty in the free movement of supplies from one district to another. One of the gravest difficulties was coal. All liberated countries needed coal. There was bound to be unemployment without it and it was not there.