Mr. Attlee On Shelling Of U.K. Warships

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 April 1949, Page 5

Mr. Attlee On Shelling Of U.K. Warships

(N. Z. P. A. —Copyrifih t. J LONDON April 23 —The Prime Minister, Mr Attlee, told the House of Commons today that, with the position still fluid, Britain reserved her position on Chinese Communist shelling of the four British warships on the Yangtze River last week. The Chinese Ambassador to London. Dr. Cheng Tien-Hsi, was in the Diplomats’ Gallery to hear Mr Attlee dismiss Communist charges that the warships were directly participating in the Chinese civil war as “fantastic and unfounded.” Mr Attlee declared inat there was no question of a punitive expedition, and the British ships bred only to silence the forces firing against them. He said that British Consular ofiicials in China vainly tiled to get in touch with the Communists, both locally and in their North China capital of Peiping, to stop the shelling of the British ships trying to rescue the sloop Amethyst Mr Attlee made his statement after Mr Churchill, speaking in strong emotional terms, had demanded: “How is it that at this time wc have not got in China waters one, if not two. air-craft-carriers caoable of affording protection to our nationals who might be increasingly involved in peril and misfortune —and capable of affording that protection in the only way which is understood by those attacking- murdering and insulting us—namely, by the effective power of retaliation?’ Mr Attlee said Britain’s attitude to the Chinese civil war was governed by the Moscow Declaration of December. 1945, when Britain Russia and the United States announced a policy of non-intervention in China s internal affairs. Mr Attlee said Britain was not alone in the decision to remain at Nanking. Thu- other Powers represented there, with the exception of the Soviet, reached the same decision. and there had since been full consultation between the members of the Diplomatic Corps at Nanking. Mr. Attlee said the Communists had stated that their forces suffered 252 casualties, and claimed that the British Government had , directly participated in the Chinese civil war by firing on Communist positions. • These claims, as far as they relate to the Royal Navy, are as fantastic as they are unfounded,” he said. “In the circumstances, the British Government can only reserve its position.” Mr. Attlee paid a tribute to the bravery of the British naval men and also to the British authorities in China for their steadfast behaviour. Mr. Churchill asked for an assurance that the Government would “face this matter in a robust spirit and make sure that the British flag is respected, and that British lives are not cast away without Parliament pursuing the matter with vigour and attention.” Mr. Attlee replied that the situation was still fluid. The Government would make a statement later. Answering questions about air cover, Mr. Attlee said: “I am quite well aware that aircraft are used in warfare, but this is not a matter of warfare at all. There is no suggestion of making an attack anywhere at all. We are engaged in the peaceful process of bringing supplies up the river.”

There were shouts from both sides of the House during the questions about air cover, and Mr. Attlee was understood to say that no aircraft were stationed at Shanghai. At this stage there were Labour cries of “The Tories want war.” The Speaker eventually closed the discussion.