DISCUSSION IN COMMONS

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22467, 30 September 1944, Page 5

DISCUSSION IN COMMONS

GERMANS STILL SCHEMING SURVIVAL OF NAZIDOM (Onicial Wireless) (Received £»ept. 30, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 29 Continuing the war debate in the House of Commons, Sir Edward Grigg, Minister of War, said we should be grateful for the unity of the United Nations, the extraordinary combination of forces which really depended on political leadership and direction from the highest political quarters, and success of British training. Sir Percy Harris said the nation should be thinking now of the kind of world peace which was likely to work and be acceptable to all. Two conditions were essential—the nations concerned must be prepared to sacrifice some of their sovereignty and there must be power to enforce the decisions of the world organisation.

Major Thorneycroft claimed that they must first totally disarm Germany.

Mr Harold Nicholson, referring to Italy, said: “We must be very firm, seeing that while we are kind to her we must ensure that she does not again become a menace to the peace of Europe. We should tell the Poles that you cannot possibly entertain the insane theory that you can ever exist except in friendly relations with Russia.” He would like to convey to the Russians an appeal from the House of Commons that Russia should act with that grandeur in this matter that she had shown on the field of battle. Main Task of House

Mr Pethick Lawrence said the main attention of the House of Commons henceforth should be devoted to the nature of the peace. Replying to the debate Mr Anthony Eden said: “We should err if we read into the marked improvement of our fortune since the House met last a signal that the main battle is won. No one can say how long the struggle will endure in the east or the west. Our over-riding needs remain for the maintenance of Allied unity and the delivery of blows in accordance with the plans laid down at Teheran and carried through since. He was not greatly impressed by the terms “hard peace” or “soft peace,” he added. The only peace was to see that neither Germany nor Japan had an opportunity of “starting this business again.” “We are not prepared to make a negotiated peace with Germany,” Mr Eden said. Many Germans recognised the inevitability of defeat in this war and were already thinking in terms of the next. Himmler was laying the foundations of a secret organisation intended to operate many years ahead in order to revive Nazidom in the future. Therefore we must take every precaution to prevent a recurrence of the situation that faced us today. Speaking of Bulgaria, Mr Eden said she should withdraw her troops from Greece and Yugoslavia and no Armistice would be signed with her 1 unless she did this. Relations With Powers

The Foreign Secretary stressed Britain’s friendly attitude towards France and referred to the Russo-Polish agreement of 1941, stating that Britain had done her best to try to build agam on the foundations she laid then. They had also done everything in their power by military effort to aid the garrison of Warsaw.

There had been some discussion about the eastern frontiers of Poland. There had been no more vexatious issue in all history than these eastern frontiers, and the British Government was bound to both Poland and the Soviet and would not swerve in playing a part in trying to bring about that to which all three were pledged—the creation of a strong sovereign and independent Poland.

Mr Eden added that it was perhaps just as well that a complete solution had not been reached at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference, for they had much rather the difficulties were faced than that they should be i glossed over. He emphasised the [necessity for the closest friendship and collaboration with Britain's neighbours in western Europe and the Powers generally and concluded: “Let no one think that with the defeat of Germany the issue is at an I end. The problem of Germany will Ibe a continued problem. It is the I key to the foreign policy this country must pursue. The principal danger to Europe after the defeat of Germany will be the re-emergence of a military Germany.” Mr Eden added that if that crude and harsh fact were accepted British foreign policy might have a fair chance of leading the British people, the Allied people and the people cf the United Nations to a lasting peace.