RUMOUR SCOTCHED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 451, 7 June 1937, Page 5

RUMOUR SCOTCHED

MR JORDAN’S GENEVA SPEECH Allegations In Article Refuted Press Association —Copyright. London, June 5. The New Zealand Government office is upset by Mr Vernon Bartietit’s article'in the News Chronicle, which aflter stating that the principal delegates at the Imperial Conference made it clear to Mr R. iA, Eden that restoration of the prestige of the League of Nations was of vital importance to them, refers to the clash between Mr Eden and' Mr W. J. Jordan, New Zealand High Commissioner, at Genevia on May 29. “It is now fairly widely known that Mr Eden brought !the most unusual pressure to bear on Mr Jordan in order that he should say nothing which might encourage the Spanish Government or offend Germany and Italy,” the article ttLlles. “Mr Jordan was impressed by Senor del Vayo’s overwhelming evidence of German and Italian contempt for their non-inter-vention pledges and was about to propose thalt the problem of Spain should be more or less transferred from the Non-Intervention Committee to the League of Nations. “Mr Eden dissuiaded him from doing anythong of the sort but only by methods which have offended the New Zealanders and all other Dominion representatives who attach importance to (the independence guaranteed them by the Statute of Westminster.”

Mr Jordan, interviewed by It he Australian Associated 1 Press, reiterated his denial that Mr Eden blue-pen-cilled his speech. “‘I am too jealous of the position of New Zealand in the League Ito subject it to the undue influence of any other delegate,” he added. “New Zealand counts as. one in the League as does the United Kingdom. Any suggestion that I was swayed by unusual pressure from Mr Eden is absolutely incorrect. Bl is absurd to also suggest that I or other New Zealanders are offended by any. thing Mr Eden is said to have done.”