Britain In Berlin As Of Right And Intends To Stay; Bevins Forthright Stand Applauded

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 May 1948, Page 5

Britain In Berlin As Of Right And Intends To Stay; Bevins Forthright Stand Applauded

"We Have Refused To Be Irritated, But That Is Not Weakness" Received 8.20 p.m. LONDON, May 5 No part of the speech made in the House of Commons last night by the Foreign Secretary (Mr. Ernest Bevin) was more loudly applauded than his firm declaration that: '“We are in Berlin as of right, and it is our intention to stay there.” He stressed Russia’s determination to make every seWement serve the Communist conception, and said that as long as that continued the world would be kept in turmoil. Talking of the difficulties between the Western Powers and Russia over Germany. Mr. Bevin said he hoped the attempt to solve these problems by a “war of nerves” would be brought to an end. •

“We have kept quite cool and have refused to be irritated.,” he added, “bnt there have been suggestions that because the British Government has not got excited it has shown weakness. I take the opposite view. The steadiness of our attitude will clearly be shown if put to the test but I trust that discussions will take the place of the recent provocations.”

Mr. Bevin said if they had to deal only with Russia they could settle matters, but they had to deal with Communism. Every Russian proposal was aimed at furthering the Communist conception. Dealing with Palestine, Mr. Bevin said his military advisers did not confirm reports of an Arab invasion. “With a crisis upon us, there -is still time for moderation and reason to win, but it may be too late in a few days," he said. Mr Bevin said the Government still intended to relinquish the Palestine pF mandate on May 15. Britain intended to use her military resources to maintain law and order in Palestine and prevent aggression until the mandate expired, and after that to use troops to cover the withdrawal of the remaining British forces. "We have used all our influence to prevent an Arab invasion of Palestine,” he added. Mr. Bevin described the continuing European organisation to administer the Marshall Plan as an excellent basis on which to build up an increasingly strong, efficient structure of European economic co-operation. He said the five-Power Brussels Treaty made Britain a definite part of Europe. It meant that the Western Union had made steady, useful progress toward its aims. All five nations which signed the treaty would have to sacrifice narrow national interests in favour of common European good, but care would have to be taken in building up a western European structure that nothing was done to “jeopardise the already existing and soiid frameof the British Commonwealth.” Mr. Bewn said the issues attaching to the Western Union were extremely complicated and would need a good deal of give and take’ and adjustment in the economies and finance of the five countries. Great changes, however, could not be made in a moment. The way was now clear for a joint examination of the Western Union countries’ military problem.'

“Such an examination won’t lead to war, but if the chaotic separation of the western Powers is allowed to continue it will leave them open as a prey,” he said. The maintenance of the Western European nations in the world must be the subject of continual organisation and vigilance.” Mr. Bevin said that Britain still stood for German unity and had not abandoned hope, but for the moment unity could not be realised. NEED FOR PATIENCE. Referring to the Foreign Ministers’ deputies failure to agree over the Austrian Treaty, Mr. Bevin emphasised the need for patience. He added that the negotiations were considerably nearer agreement. Mr. Bevin said the return of Trieste to the Italian population living there should lead to peace and stability in that area. Mr. Bevin said the restoration of normal conditions in south-east Asia and the Far East generally had been hampered through the lack of a peace treaty with Japan, while shortages of wheat and rice had affected western and eastern peoples alike, but for the first time since the end of the war there were indications of good harvests in the Far East. Overseas reports indicated that a good harvest was likely in 1948 in ail parts of the world, and Britain could expect increased food supplies and increased food supplies would be a major contribution to the restoration of normal, peaceful conditions in the world.