SOVIET EMBARGO

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1933, Page 5

SOVIET EMBARGO

THE) BILL PASSED

COMMONS ADOPT MEASURE.

(United Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright.)

LONDON, April 7

The House of Commons passed the third reading of the Russian Embargo Bill by 291 to 41. Sir J. Simon, deeing the debate, expressed thj hope that powers conferred ; by the Bill would not have to be u:i,ed. That, he said, depended on the Russian authorities. He trusted this Act, conducted in the light of day before the world, would bring home to the Soviet the gravity with which the British Government Wins not pursuing a selfish, vindicative incorrect course. It wa.s merely frying to help imperilled Englishmen.

The remaining stages of the Bill enabling the government to prohibit by proclamation the importation of Russian goods to the United Kingdom were considered to-day. The Labour Party had tabled a number of amendments, and interest was taken in the attitude Sir Herbert Samuel and Liberal followers would adopt, in view of their abstention from voting on the second reading. When an amendment, limiting the duration of the measure to one month, was proposed, Mr Runciman, on behalf of the Government, refused to accept it. He proposed, however, a time limit of three months, with a proviso that the measure could he continued by means of a Parliamentary resolution, before the expiration of that period, or until a further resolution praying for it to be revoked was passed by the House. Sir Herbert Samuel said that he was most grateful for Mr Runciman’s statement, and if it had been made on the previous day, tip? Liberals would have voted for the second reading. Replying to Sir Austen Chamberlain. Mr Runciman gave an undertaking, on behalf of the Government, that they would use the powers contained in the measure for no other purpose than to enable them to intervene effectively on behalf of British subjects now in peril in Russia.

BRITAIN’S VIEW OF POSITION

NOT UNDERESTIMATED BY SOVIET.

MOSCOW. April 7

Tlio British United Press cor respond e ; nt says: The Soviet is not underestimating the seriousness of Britain’s threatened retaliation for the arrest of the Vickers employees. Britain is the largest buyer of Soviet products, and consequently her embargo would he disastrous. Tim trial wil] ho a quiet affair in a small courtroom, and quite different from the earlier show trials. Apart from a few vitriolic editorials here against the English “diehard hysteria,” the news of the whole affair j,s confined to formal. .communiques. The Government is obviously holding the publicity strictly in check.