BRITAIN'S PROMISES TO FRANCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 11

BRITAIN'S PROMISES TO FRANCE.

■ 9 QUESTION OF SENDING TROOPS ABROAD. NEW STATEMENT BY MR. ASQUITH. • London, March 29. A statement of the extremest importonce regarding the obligations of this country to give France military, assistance on the Continent in tho event of ahuropean war was made by Mr. Asquith in the House of Commons'on Monday. Sir William Byles asked: "Whether this country is under any, and if so what, obligation to France to send an armed force in certain contingencies to operato in Europe; and, if so, what are the limits of our agreements whether by assurance or treaty with-the French nation?" Mr. Joseph King also asked; "Whether tho foreign policy of this country is at the present time unhampered by any treaties, agreements, or obligations under which British, military forces would in certain eventualities be called upon to bo landed on the Continent and join there in military operations?" The Prime Minister made the following reply to tlieso questions:— "As has been repeatedly stated, the country is not under any obligation not public and know to Parliament which compels it to take part in any war. In other words, if war arises bi'tween European Powers, there are no unpublished agreements which will restrict or hamper the freedom of the Government or of Parliament to decidc whether or not Great Britain shall participate in a war. "The use that: would be made of the naval or military forces, if the Government and Parliament decided to take part in a war, is, for obvious reasons, not a matter about which public statements enn be made beforehand. (Ministerial cheers,)" The Previous Statement, Mr. Asquith's statement, by indicating that military support would be given to Franco in certain circumstances, will so some way to attenuate the unfortunate impression produced abroad by his brief and incomplete answer to a question casually aclced by Lord Hugh Cecil on March 10, when the following passage took place:— Lord High Cccil: There is a very eencral belief that this country is under an obligation, not a treaty obligation, but an obligation arising out of ail assurance given by the Ministry in the course of diplomatic negotiations, to send a very largo armed force out of tho country to operate in Europe. That is tho general belief. ~ ' Jft. Asquith: I ought to say that it is not true. The answer given by Mr. Asquith on that occasion was misleading from its brevity and did not make clear the fact that, ill the event of an unprovoked attack upon France, tho British Government and Parliament would support her with all the nation's force. But while the Government and Parliament must decide when the occasion arises two essential facts remain: (1) That in certain eventualities naval control of tho Mediterranean cannot be secured without the assistance of France; and (2) that by Article 9 of the Morocco Declaration, published in 1904 and known to all the world, "the - two - Governments (British and French) agree to afford one another their diplomatic support in order to obtain the execution of the clauses of the present De-' clnration regarding Egypt and Morocco." "Diplomatic support" in this Article was clearly understood at the .time ;to cover military and naval support, and upon that interpretation past British Governments acted in 1905, 190G, 1908, and 1911, when the position of France in Morocco was challenged.—"Daily Mail."