IF WAR HAD COME

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 83, 5 October 1938, Page 14

IF WAR HAD COME

CZECHS WIPED OUT

ESSENCE OF THE MATTER

DR. BURGIN'S VIEW

HITLER READY TO FIGHT

(British Official Wireless.) (Received October 5, 2 p.m.) -RUGBY, October 4,

Continuing his speech in the House of Commons on «the Czechoslovak settlement, the Minister of Transport, Dr. E. Burgin, said that Herr Hitler himself had said that he was prepared to risk a world war on the issue. ! Speaking of the military difficulties if there had been a war Dr. Burgin said that Czechoslovakia would have been overrun and completely annihilated and no action against Germany, however successful, could have restored Czechoslovakia. That was 'the essence of the matter. Replying to an interjection by Mr. Hugh Dalton (Labour), who suggested that Dr. Burgin's argument was an overwhelming condemnation of the proposed new guarantee of the Czechoslovak frontiers, Dr. Burgin said that that was not true. They were "separate considerations." WHAT OF FUTURE? Turning to the future Dr. Burgin said that the underlying causes of international unrest must be tackled and there should be a resolve to turn the recent events to good account. The Government would use all its efforts to solve international problems peacefully while pushing on with the country's defences.

Mr. James Maxton, leader of the International Labour Party which announced last week its unqualified opposition to war in whatever circumstances it was undertaken, said that Mr. Chamberlain had done something that the common people of the world wanted done. Now there was a breathing space and every scrap of human intellect that could be should be brought to bear to make the breathing space into a real world peace. TRIUMPH OF FORCE? Mr. L. S. Amery (Government) thought that the peace obtained by the Munich agreement was susceptible of more than one interpretation. They could not be sure that a future student of history would not represent these events as a triumph of sheer naked force exercised in the most blatant and brutal manner. Suggesting that a firmer attitude might have been taken much earlier, Mr. Arnery agreed that whenever a stand had been made a terribly critical situation would have arisen, but he argued that in such a case the Prime Minister's influence, if it had been successful, might have been exercised to secure not only peace but peace with justice.

Mr. William Mabane (Government) said that fear had not been in the hearts of the people in the last few weeks. The relief on hearing the news from Munich was not because they had. saved their skins but because they felt that reason had prevailed. If it did prevail it would be because of the actions of the Prime Minister,

The debate is being continued.