LORD CURZON.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1922, Page 3

LORD CURZON.

BRITISH C A iilNEl ATTITUDE. .CSTI.AI.WN AXP S.Z. C-HU.K ASSOCIATION. ißeceived this day at I l.iil) a."i. ) LONDON, November 8. Lord Curzun speaking in the city said there had been no plot- or intrigue in regard to the Lie Government. He was l repaved to concede the great superiority of intellect to his late colleague.-. H' lu’ l not t Iways agreed with the late Government’s policy. The manifesto issued i n Kith. September was issued without his knowledge. U was unfortunate in character mid tone There wrs no doubt when tbev bed a Prime Minister with Mr Lloyd Gem go's peculiar gifts, such a n.au must exercise unrstml influence on ferciuu a fib i is. The general opinion supports Mr B >nar Law's view that t'c work of the Foreign Office which was largely export work, must be done l>v the department itself, subject to the control of the Cabinet’ mil personal supervision of the. Prime Minister. The charge that the Foreign Office claims any special degree of privilege ot immunity'for itself is without foundation. All the Foreign Office asks i* that it should not he iiflerfered with by irresmusible amateurism, however brilliant it may be. Since he had been Foreign Secretary he had forgotten he was a Conservative, and had striven for the honour of his country and peace of the world. Britain’s foreign •policy was now the foreign policy of the Empire. Tie laid it, down us a cardinal principle that peace was only recoverable by the common action of tho principal allies, who achieved victory in the war. They could only settle t-c reparations and the Near East question if France. Britain and Italy acted loyally with each other. He had never initiated any line of policy in great affairs without immediately informing France and Italy. He was not much of a believer in finesse or intrigue. He deprecated the dictionary definition of diplomacy, which described it ns skill in managing international relations. |,y adroitness and artful management. Britain’s strength lay in her straightforwardness and in co-operation between France and Britain lay the security of the world’s peace. AVhat this country desired to eschew more than anything else was the policy of adventure. Jingoism was dead.

AVARNING TO TURKEY. LONDON, November 18. Lord furzon added-AVhat we had to do was to get back to the conditions of mutual esteem existing between Britain and France before the war. That was more important than any written document or signed pact. He would not he a party to evasion by Germany of any just obligations. He would not have her at the expense of our old ally, but lie would try to bo fair between the two and was hopeful of arriving at that conclusion hv peaceable means. AVe hoped to have the pleasure of meeting Mussolini fit Lausanne, Our friendship with Ame-

ri-ca was a tradition and principle of British policy. Lord Cnrzon said: “We shall pay our debt to America. The Chancellor of the Exchequer would go to America at the end of the year to conduct negotiations which Sir R. Horne was to hfive undertaken. I have not regarded the League of Nations as merely a great conception too ideal for this world. It is a practical body and useful as an instrument to settle certain international disputes. The position in the Near East at the moment, constitutes a most definite menace to tlio world’s peace. Events during the last twenty four hours have dealt rather a rude shock to the expectations of Mudania Conference and Lausanne. The policy of the Turks is one of nationalism gone wild. Tt is alnicst suicidal in character. The pretensions of the Turks cannot he tolerated. They have not any conceivable justification. They are an affront to the Allies and a challenge to* Europe. There is absolute accord between the Allied generals and High Commissioners on the spot. I trust this unity will ho ratified by the Governments, and will be maintained. AYe are prepared to make our contribution towards its maintenance, but if it is broken owing to no action of our own we shall he unable to support the burden alone. Lord Cnrzon appealed to the country to sustain the Government in the common act to strengthen its hand in defence of the honour of flag. “Turkey must learn that there is a limit to the concessions. We conn t purchase peace at the cost of humiliation and disgrace. Turkey must I'V'rn that the strength of Britain and nrght of Eurore are rocks against which she will hurl herself in vain.