British Foreign Policy

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 137, 26 June 1937, Page 5

British Foreign Policy

(British Official Wireless.)

NEED FOR CAUTION Debate in British House of Commons MAINTA1NING PEACE

{Received 26, 1.0 p.m.) RUGrBY, Jime 25. The debate on international affairs in the House of CommonB was opened by the Liberal leader, . Sir Arehibald Sinclair, who said that the Spanish situation presented itself as a struggle between riyal systems, each of which commanded a passionate body of supporters. That constitnted a perpetual danger beeause, if some eountry or Govqjninent representing one of these two ideas should be tempted to intervene beyond a certain point, then it was obvious that other eountries might find it diffieult, if not impossible, to refrain from joiuing in. A conflict might then be start"ed of which no inan could see the cnd. The policy of the British Government had been consistently confined to one aim, namely, to maintain the peace 6f Burope by confining the war to jSpain, "We have suffered the tumai fate of those who try to be impartiai «md hav© been bittorly accused by botb sides of pnrtiaiity," be •teted, "but up to tbe preaent we have succeeded In achieving our obj.ct and shall confcinue to pursue , tbat object. The situation is serious but not hopeless. ' r»t ua try to fceep cool heads and neither say nor do anything to precipitate disMter. I think w© are bound to recognise that as long as this civil war is going on in Spain, incidents are bo->nd to occlir which in- . volve foreign PowerB. I want to appeal to those holdlng responeible positions in this eountry and abroad to weigh their words very carefiffiy hefore they atter them oh this matter." * ■t The Foreign Secretary? Mr Anthony "Edetr stresscd the jjossibility oi a bet^ ter Anglo- J apanese understanding in the uear future and stated that the question of a Pacifie JPact of Non-Ag-gression . would havo to be approoched with some circumspection, but they hoped shortiy to make prelihiifiary soundihgs amofig ihterested Governmenip, He considered the Labouf Rarty's deniand fof termination of the non-iil-tei'veutioil policy in Spain a mistaken oue which might lead to uniimited couipetition in arms ahd ineh, with tlle claiigei' of a ciash between outside Powers, Britain waa not going to cuntemplate a bl'eakdoWn of uondhterveiittotf until they had seen Whttfe the pOfcsjbiiities were in the now more- dUlioult situation coufypixting them. The "Frime Minister, Ml' Neville Chamberlainl xnade au appenl fyr caution, patience ahd restraint, in the mteresta of Europeaxx peace. riir Arehibald Sinclair said that he ixoped the tSovernxuent would drrive Oiicbutageiuent fl'om the lmperial Conlerence tu pursue a ihore octive Xieagua policy. 'The beet way to ' matahiia tung Ji/Uropead peace Would be through an understanding with Gerinany, "but Gernxany mtist tinderstand that We will ' not sacriflce old friends for the sake of new ones. If. Gefmany is prepared to join in disaritiatnent and accept the pi'xuciple of arbitration in international 'disputes, we would pay any price for ixcr friendship," . The Labour Leader, - Major Oi R, AttJee, said ho was xuost disappointed because the l;iime Minister seeined to havo lnisconceived the issue. The esaontial question was wlxether the rule of law or iawtessness was to prevail in mterxiational alfairs. The massacre of -Spanish citizens by foreign forces of axrxnen showed the farce of non*interveution. The fall of Bilboa was partly lue to the blockade to which Britain waa a party, ' ' N oii-interventioo haa 1'ailed, thereiore it iuust end. We deniattd that the Loague act and that the Spanish Gt> veriimenb be allowed to obtain arhis. We musfc resfcore filll righta to Spaii and let the LetlgUe stahd by her." Mr. VVilired Roberts (Liberal; nxovlng a reduhtion iri the Foreigr Otfice vote, said -that the fall of UilboE was due to the JBasqties inability tt bUy arxns, wlxile aeroplattes aUd niunitions Were l'eachiug the ittsurgehts. Mr. George Lansbury (Labour) urget tliat tlie basis of Furopeftn tension was the eeonomie issue of the Spanish war not Fascism or Communisin but rav materials that ttaly and Germaiij needed. Mr. David Lloyd-George said: "1 non-intervention is not eni'orceable wind up this fraudulent pact and le both sides buy war material where the; can.3' Tlle motion to reduce the vdte wa: defeated by lo7 votes to 86. The debate was adpourned.