NO REFERENCE TO LEAGUE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 29, 28 October 1937, Page 5

NO REFERENCE TO LEAGUE

* PresS Assd,

KSiig's Speech at Opening of Parliament FOREIGN-POL1CY BASIS

(By Telfegraph-

— Copyright.)

(Received 28, 8.45 a.m.) london, OCt. 27. In* his speech at the opening of Par iiament, the Eing said that Britain 's rdlations With fofeign PoWefs continued to be friendly. have invited the Eing of the Belgians to visit me in November and the Eing of Rumanxa in the spring of l93Si,/ he Gontinued. ' ' My MiniSters have f ollowed with growing eonCern the coatinuanee ot' the cpnfiiet in Spain. It is their aim to do everything possible to assist toward a festoration of peaCe among the Spanish people. They believe that striet applieation of non-intefvention will materially contribute to this end. "The position in the Far East will continue to engage the earnest attention of the Government, who will persist in the policy of attempting, in CO-operatioii With Othef GOVerninents, whethef memhefs Of the League of NatiOns Of flot, to mitigate the suffex'ing caused by the conflict and to bring it to a conclusion. ."I am looking forward to the, time When it will be possible to visit my Indian Empire." His Majesty noted that the expansion of the defence forces was progressing rapidly. He said he rejoiced to knOw that the outlook for trade and industfy femained favourable. The Government would continue to encourage industrial activity at home and the development of overseas trade. AddresS-ih-Reply. Iii the debate on the AddreSS-ia' Reply, the Leadfcr of the LabOur Party, Major C. Ri Attlee Said that thd Eing's speech indicated nO attempt Whatever at a settlement of the international situation* He cfitieised ihe .Government 's attitude toWard Spain and China and said he wbiild like to see some ref erence to the sanetity Of treaties and the need of establishing law and order. A startling thing in the speech Was the complete omission of any ffeferenoe to unemployment iii distfessed areas. Therefofe the OppoSition WOuld submit an (xmendmeut .pOinting but SerioUs omissions and the failhre tO face the problems of peace and the esiiblishment of sound economic coiiditions. Sir Archibald Sindair, the Liberal leader, said that oue of the most extraordinafy omissions in the Speech was the absence of any mentioii of tho League of Natidfis as a basis of the Government 's policy, although this had bcexx to the foreffoat in the l&St two Eings' speOChos* Sir Archijxald said that supporters oi' the collcctive-security principle would liot i'ail to draw their oWn couCluSions. He hoped tliat ihe Nine-Power Treaty in B'russeis would rosuit in peace, but, ko asked, what peace? Was the Got-^ enxment going to help Oliiua in hor Oktremity Or wUS thero to he a faree like Abyssinia, With another fait aecompli encouraging aggression throtxgllout the world? ' Signiflcant GmiSsiOn' ' The Daily Herald, the London Labour ixeWspaper, alone draws attention to comments on the fact that for the flrst time since the National Government was f'ofined— in 1981— the Eixlg's Speech at the dpeniag of Parliament on TuOsday Inclxided no Specific Statement that the Government 's fofeign policy would be based on the League oi Nations. "The Kiflg's Speech," ihe Daily Herald points out, "is accepted as indicating the policy of the Government, and there was widespfead concern when this Significant omission waa realised." v