BRITAIN FACED WITH DANGER

Grey River Argus, 17 September 1948, Page 5

BRITAIN FACED WITH DANGER

Statements in Commons

LONDON, September 15. Rt. Hon. Ernest Bevin, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in the House of Commons, said that there was a Communist plan to try to drive every Western association from South-East Asia. Britain and the Commonwealth recognised the dangers of the Communists stirring up civil war as an instrument of foreign policy, he said. “Everywhere it rears its ugly head, we will do our best to stamp it out with maximum resources”., he added. “It will be a difficult task to put an end to the Malayan terrorist gangs. We are under no delusions of what is involved. A total of 176 civilians have been murdered and 400 British servicemen killed. The Malayan authorities have detained 7000 people for screening. If we suppress Communism in Malaya it may break out in Africa or elsewhere”.

Mr Bevin said he did not agree that the granting of independence to Burma was responsible for the uprisings there. His sympathy was with the Burmese Government in trying to restore order.

Mr Bevin said the question of having sufficient troops was the responsibility of the whole House. He did not believe that Britain could be independent of the Great Powers any more than she could be independent in war. If the Great Powers built up a self-reliant, independent, rejuvenated Europe, and repaired the ravages of the two wars, there would be a possibility of restoring a better balance in the world.

Mr Anthony Eden said there had been a marked deterioration in the international situation since the House adjourned in July. The relations between the Soviet and the Western Allies had become more tense. The Berlin incidents, some of which seemed to have been deliberately provocative, had multiplied and the general outlook was profoundly disturbing. Peace seemed ever more consistently to elude the nations seeking it. He agreed that unless the Communist attempt in South-East Asia was overcome, security of vast areas would be jeopardised.

Lack of Good. Faith

Among Nations

(Rec 9.30) LONDON, Sept 16 Mr A. Eden, in his speech in the House of Commons, said that perhaps the most! disturbing factor of the whole of the present international situation.. was that the standards of international good faith seemed to be falling everywhere. He said: — “There is an open and a cynical disregard for all international obligations, and the growth of this tendency is a menace to peace. With the ’ formidable difficulties facing Britain, only a united national effort would enable us to win through.”

N.Z. Navy League’s Agitation

DUNEDIN, September 16. At its annual conference here, the N.Z. Navy League decided to impress on the people the necessity of adequate sea and air defence, and to develop work in the schools more fully, members stating that in some parts of the country the branches of the league had good liaison with the headmasters. It was hoped to be ablq to extend the league’s system of lectures. „ Mr N. R. Bain said Russia was now a maritime power in the Pacific and that New Zealand would have to play its part in Commonwealth defence.