The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1927. BRITAIN'S POLICY.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1927. BRITAIN'S POLICY.

East week the British Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered in the House <;f Commons an important statement on foreign policy. Air Arthur Poii.sonby, who was Under-Secretary of I'oreign Affairs in the AfacDonald Government, raised a discussion on European affairs by a series of questions intended evidently to “draw Sir A. Chamberlain, and to place him and the Government at a disadvantage. IN hat his questions implied amounted to this—that Britain, in regard to the Rhineland and other important international problems, is tamely following the lead of France; that Britain has displayed no honest and cordial sympathy in response to America's invitation to the Naval Conference; that the rupture with Russia was a stupid and dangerous blunder; and that while the League of Nations has sunk into impotence, the affairs of Europe are still being regulated by secret diplomacy. It is worth noting says a northern paper, that Air Ponsonby belongs to the class of men. often able and conscientious. who in all countries, at all times, have made it their chief duty in life to decry and find fault with the policy and the methods of any Government that happens to control their country’s affairs. As a rule, their critical faculties are developed very largely at the expense of their constructive powers, and while they are free from the responsibilities cf office they are quite prepared to dictate to others the course which commends itself to themselves, and with sublime self-confidence they hold it up before the world as the only safe and sane and honourable policy that their country could adopt. Such men, we re-

peat .are familiar figures mi the stage of history in every period of the world’s progress, and more than two thousand years ago the greatest of Greek statesmen delineated them with life-like accuracy in a description that applies today. Such men, says Pericles of Athens, spend me.st of their time in trying to undermine and supersede all who are placed in authority over them, and sometimes tney succeed in their efforts; but lie adds that if they achieve their purpose, and gain supremo power, they will speedily min their own country as well. Bold in opposition, hut feeble in office, able to criticise and depreciate work of others, hut not to const] net a rational att:l consistent policy of their own. Mr Pon.-c-nliy and his little coterie of world reformers find their natural place in Pat liamcnl ary minorities ami unions of democratic out! I. hut never among the great statesmen of their age. It was not a difficult task for Sir A. Chamberlain ti meet this attack liv showing briefly hut forcibly that Britain’s policy to-day is not as Mr i’otisonby depicts it. Friendship fur Frame and Amerieu, a strong desire for peace, and energetic effort to secure it. frank and honest dealing with foreign. Governments and nations—these are the claims that our Foreign Minister put forward in his own defence of his poi'icy. and the House liv a large majority endorsed his account of British policy as dignified, honourable, and true. Even in severing relations with Russia, tho Government lias merely followed the course initiated by its predecessor. As to the League of Nations, its supporters might well thank Mr Punsonby for providing an opportunity for a spirited defence of this much maligned institution. Systematically (lepricatod by its opponents and discredited by mistaken enthusiasts who predicted that il would change the face of the earth “in a moment and the twinkling of an eye,’’ the League is fully growing in importance.