BRITAIN'S POLICY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 76, 22 December 1937, Page 5

BRITAIN'S POLICY

i— Press Assn.-

Approach to Germany Was a Preliminary MR. CHAMBERIAIN'S REVIEW

(By Telegrapl

-Gopyright.)

(Eeceived 22, 12.30 a.m.) EUGBY, Dec. 21. Mr Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister, speaking in the foreign affairs debate in the House of Commons, xeferred to various international conversations which he claimed were not expected nor intended to produce immediate results. As a Tesult of Yiscount Halifax's visit to Germany they now had a fairlv le-

finite idea of the problems which, in the view of the German Government, • had tQ be solved. The visit is considered as the first step towards what was sometimes called a general effort at general settlement. What had happened so far was only a preliminary to a more extended but, he hoped, more fruitful future. "We believe," he said, "that the different countries have something common to them all — that is, a desire to improve their own conditions. Since we believe that fulfilment of that desire can only be achieved by help from others and by real understanding and efforts to meet others' needs, anything we can do to promote harmony and remove legitimate causes of grievanee among the nations may well bring its own reward." In reference to Spain, the Prime Minister said that there had been a perceptible lessening of tension in Europe in the last ix months, due largely to the fact that the Spanish situation had become less acute, and the British Government's attitude had contributed largely towards that end. Mr Chamberlain agreed with Major Attlee that" Italy 's withdrawal from the League of Nations was making very little real diflerence to the situation. Britain would continue to give the League her warmest support. Major Attlee had expressed disquiet at the range and character of the propaganda of certain foreign countries outside their -own fronties, and in reference to this part of Major Attlee's speech Mr Chamberlain said that the Britiph Government duly realised the seriousness of the methods of propaganda and that it was absolutely necessary that Britain should take measures to proteet herself against constant misrepresentations abroad. Major Attlee, in opening the debate, said that Parliament was about to adjourn for Christmas but found the world little in accord with the peaceful traditions of the season. Wars were xaging in Spain and the Far East and there were grave incidents and grave controversies arousing the greatest auxiety. The renuireiation of the League of Nations by three Great Powers means that there was no peace in the world." It was a matter of the gravest import to the British Empire, because the preservation of world peace was its first interest. Major Attlee urged definite action to counteract the propaganda war "deliberately being waged through the cinema, the Press and the radio against the Empire and poisoning people'? minds against Britain." Major Attlee criticiscd the Government for not Tealising that the true British interests were support of international law and democracy. The British Empire, he said, could survive only if it served greater interests tlian its own. It had survived in the past through goodwill. Now propaganda nnd a short-sighted foreign policy were destroying its foundations. Major Attlee, in referring to the talks between Herr Hitler and Viscount Halifax, said that colonies should be administered first and foremost in the interests of the inhabitants. If the colonial c im were valid for Germany it was equally valid for Poland, CzechoSlovakia, Austria and Switzerland. Dividing colonies would not bring reai settlement.