AIM IS SETTLEMENT WITHOUT WAR

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

AIM IS SETTLEMENT WITHOUT WAR

—Press Assn.-

Britain's Patience Must Not be Misconstrued DEFINITE OBJECTIVE

(By Telegrapb

-Copyright.)

(Eeceived 22, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 21. Major C. E. Attlee, Leader of the Opposition, in opening the foreign affairs debate in the House of Commons, said that Hongkong niight be cut off from the mamland and Shanghai left derelict. The Government was meeting the results of its past astions. Britain and other States had acquieseed in the wrong done to China, thinking that Japan. would respeet European interests if she were allowed certain latitude; but Japan, in his opinion, wanted hegemony in the Ear East. He did not believe that colonies could be treated as a counter in the game of diplomatic bargaining. The Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, said he regretted the untimely debate. He was unable to perceive what course Major Attlee could advise unless it was to go to war against any Power that did not listen to their representations, but there must be a period for the study and exploration of problems. He expressed the opinion that no greater service could be rendered to the cause of peace than the restraint and toleration of the Press. Mr Chamberlain described the SinoJapanese conflict as a major war in everything but name. Whatever might be the rights or wrongs, it was certainly a fact that Japan had not attempted to seek a settlement by peaceful means. It must not be thought that Britain's patience or desire for peace meant thet she was forgetful of her duty to proteet British interests. It was for Japan to show that she was not unmindful of the rights and interests of others and that her assurances and apologies were more than words. He denied that the Government was drifting. They had a definite objective — namely, settlement of the grievances of the world without war. They did not think that threats were the right way to achieve results, but thought that results could be attained best by personal contacts.