HISTORIC PLEDGE TO POLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1939, Page 5

HISTORIC PLEDGE TO POLAND

Momentous Date in History SIR. JOHN SIMON CONCLUDES DEBATE By Telegraph.—Press Association -Copyright. LONDON, April 4. “The unity displayed by the nation, as well as by its Parliamentary representatives, on this question is a tremendous fact which the world will have occasion to remember hereafter.” These words were used by Sir John Simon, Home Secretary, who wound up the debate in the House of Commons last night after a speech by the Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, on the subject of the British pledge to support Polish independence. Sir John Simon spoke of the deep impression made by the unanimity with which, on the momentous date in Britain’s history, there had been accepted and approved in every part of the House the immensely significant statement with which on Friday Mr Chamberhad introduced a commitment which applied in a part of the world in which Britain hitherto had been free of specific commitments and which presaged further commitments in other quarters also. Taking up references made in the course of the debate to a leading article in “The Times” on Saturday and to a message circulated by a news agency from London, which were alleged to have had the effect of minimising the import of the Prime Minister’s words, Sir John Simon said that the statement was perfectly clear and could hardly be misinterpreted.

“ft is to be understood in the fullest sense it bears, and it is hardly necessary to add that I myself and all the members of the Government associate ourselves with the assurance as expounded by Mr Chamberlain. “No one, either at the Foreign Office, or on behalf of the Government, was authorised to comment qualifying the effect of the statement, and such comment was made entirely on the responsibility of the newspaper and the agency concerned, and was absolutely unofficial.” - Sir John Simon claimed that the known devotion of the Prime Minister to peace had invested Friday’s declaration with a peculiar force. The man who had been prepared to go to the utmost in giving credit to Herr Hitler’s intentions was the same man who, compelled by events, was now giving the lead in the country’s united stand against aggression. “If peace is secured,” concluded Sir John, “it will be the action of a united House of Commons which helped to secure it.”