SERIOUS VIEW IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 11

SERIOUS VIEW IN BRITAIN

Fuller Statement By Chamberlain Soon

ANSWERS IN HOUSE OF COMMONS

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 20. Asked in the House of Commons whether the Government was recognizing the annexation of Czechoslovakia, Mr. Chamberlain t eplied that the Government, in concert with other Governments, was considering all the consequences of the German action before a statement was possible. He added: “The House will be aware from my speech in Birmingham of the serious view the Government takes of the situation.

In reply to the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister promised to make a fuller statement at the earliest opportunity. He 'declined to say with how many Governments they were communicating. He said that he was circulating the text of the agreement of March 15 between Herr Hitler and Dr. Hacha, the Czech President, and added: “As far as I am aware, no written ultimatum was presented to Dr. Hacha before bis acceptance.” Replying in the House of Commons to a question relating to consultation with other Governments adhering to the principles of the League Covenant and the Kellogg Pact on common measures for defence against unprovoked aggression, the Prime Minister emphasized that the whole situation at present was under review by the Government. Mr. Hudson’s Mission. He declined to accept the suggestion of another member that military representatives should be added to the officials accompanying Mr. R. S. Hudson to Warsaw and Moscow, pointing out that the object of Mr. Hudson’s mission was economic. Mr. Chamberlain also made clear that the statement in his Birmingham speech that every aspect of national life must be revised in the light of the country’s national safety covered the question of revision of the national defence programme.

Three hundred people cheered Mr Chamberlain as he left No. 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons. There were cries of "Goo'd old Neville.”

ITALY UNAFRAID “Just Waiting For War” (Independent Cable Service.) HOME, March 20. Writing in the ‘Giornale d’ltalia,” Signor Gayda, “Mussolini’s mouthpiece,” says: “Italy is not hastening her war programme, but she is nevertheless unafraid of war. In fact she is just watting for it—out of her one desire to meet face to face those lowdown champions on the other side of the barricades who are shouting from the beer halls of Paris after having counted on paper millions of men and thousands of guns, with which Britain and the United States, and possibly the Soviet, might defend their territory.” CROATIAN DEMAND FOR AUTONOMY (Tuilependent Cable Service.) BELGRADE. Marcl) 20. The Croat leader, M. Macliek, publicly demanded home rule for the Croatians.