FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1921, Page 2

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

DEBATE IN COMMONS

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION,

LONDON, March 10

Lord Robert Cecil opened the debate on foreign affairs. He blamed Government for the absence of a continuity of policy of recent years, largely due to tile fact 'that Hon Lloyd George has taken foreign negotiations into his own hands, instead of relying on the representatives of the Foreign Office, who alone were able to give sound advice. The country was suffering from a polyarchy of administration.

Sir Edward Carson said lie did not aaree that the Prime Minister in his Foreign Policy should be guided entiroly by the Foreign Office. He admired the Premier because he was not hidebound. Mr Clynes believed that Hon Lloyd George honestly desired a settlement with "Germany, by agreement, rather han force. The Labour Party considered all.means bad not. been explored to secure an agreement. They thought the application of forc-e to Germany would lead to greater unemployment and additional burdens of taxation on this country. The Labour Party wanted to make Germany pay, but believed she could only pay when normal trade was restored. The House was entitled to know how much of the present foreign policy was Britsih, and how much French. Hon Lloyd George said the effect ol Mr Clvne’s speech would he to stiffen German resistance. The settlement was an allied settlement. He thought it perfectly fair to say we could only get a settlement with Germany, if she know we should enforce it.