No Admittance

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 49, 13 March 1937, Page 5

No Admittance

l— Press Assn.— Copyright.)

BRITISH BAN Distinguished Foreigners For Spanish Relief Meeting LABOUR PR0TEST

(By Telegrapl

(Received 13, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 12. The News-Chronicle's political correspondent says that a number of distingtushed foreign politicians, including the French Liheral, M. Basch, and the Belgian Deputy, Mlle. Blum, president of the women's section of the Belgian Lahour Party, who are scheduled to speak to the Spanish Relief Committee at the Quakers' headquarters, London, were stopped at Dover and warned to leave Britain within 24 hours. Mlle. Blum was told that if she attended the committee meeting on Spanish relief she would not be ailowed to return to England. The Home Offi.ce explains that nonintervention has made the steps necessary, but Labour members suggested in the House of Oommons that the real reason was panic-fear of Communism. It is pointed out that the relief committee does not consist of Comimxnists but people liko Viscount Churchill, Sir Norman Angell, M. Leon Jouhaux, p'.tcsident of French Trade Unions. When the House assembled the Government promxse.d to withdraw th© ban on Mlle Blum, and the news was immediately communicated to her. Mr.. Geoffrey Lloyd objected to the runxxing fire of questions from all sides of the House. Major C. R.. Attlee, Leader of the Opposition, raised the issue of principle, demanding what regulations exiabled officials to exclude distinguished visitors of all varieties of political opinion without the knowledge of the House. Other members pointed out that the purpose of the meeting was solely coucerned with the provision of food supplies and care of child refugees.