DANGER IN EUROPE

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22689, 17 August 1945, Page 3

DANGER IN EUROPE

DIFFERENCES OF VICTORS “TOTALITARIAN TRENDS” MR CHURCHILL’S WARNING (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Aug. 17, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 16 The present regime in Germany j was purely provisional. It would not be possible for the Allies, to continue | indefinitely bearing the whole re- i sponsibility with the German masses 1 on their hands expecting to be fed, ! said Mr Winston Churchill when re- j viewing the Potsdam decisions in the House of Commons. “I therefore strongly advise encouragement of the assumption of responsibility by I trustworthy German local bodies,” he i said. Mr Churchill warned the House not to delude themselves by believing that the first conference of victors was free from disappointment and anxiety. “It would be wrong to conceal the possible divergence of views which exists among the victors about the state of affairs in eastern and middle Europe,” he said. Mr Churchill said he did not blame Mr Attlee and Mr Bevin for this fact. “We British have had very early and increasingly to recognise the limitations of our. power and influence in the gaunt world arising from the ruins of this hideous war,” he said. “I must put on record that in my opinion the provisional western frontier agreed upon for Poland, comprising one quarter of the arable lane* 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 equity require.” Expulsion of Germans Mr Churchill said he was particularly concerned at reports of 1 * conditions under which the expulsion of Germans from Poland was being carried out. Eight or nine million people lived in these regions before the war, of whom 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 in those sectors. “But enormous numbers are unaccounted for,” he continued. “Where have they gone? What is their fate?” Mr Churchill expressed dissatisfaction at the totalitarian trend in certain European countries. “There are millions of homes in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia where fear is the main preoccupation of family lifp.” h** said. 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 ordinary European families tonight. Their fear was of a policeman knocking at the door. He urged the Government in its foreign policy to strike a continuous note of freedom and fair play. Professor Laski’s Status

Mr Churchill after saying 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 the British policy towards Greece had entirely changed. Professor Laski also appeared to contemplate vehement intervention in Spain. If that were the Government’s policy Mr Attlee ought to say so. Mr Attlee, replying, said Mr Churchill knew that Professor Laski, on common ground with himself, had somewhat ebullient phraseology. (Laughter.) Professor Laski, like anybody else, claimed the rights of individual action and had the right to express his view, but the Ministers laid down the Government policy, and any newspaper, foreign, power or politician thinking the Government’s policy was laid down by anyone except the 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 the population in Central Europe, but the Potsdam conference 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. Democratic Basis Lacking

Many Governments in Europe did not rest on the sure foundations of popular election. It was optimistic to expect the political life of those countries to settle down evenly, quickly and smoothly. It was the Government’s intention to secure that the people’s will should prevail. The Government was looking forward to emergence in those countries of democratic government by free election.

It was necessary also to realise that the position was very grave. Many people, despite all that can be done, would go cold and hungry this winter. The reason was the damage to communications, which was tremendous. There was difficulty in the free movement of supplies from one district to another. One of the gravest difficulties was coal. All the