BRITISH AIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1938, Page 8

BRITISH AIMS

MR CHAMBERLAIN’S SURVEY OF FOREIGN POLICY

THE COMING VISIT TO ITALY OBJECTION TO BEING BOUND. GERMANY & THE LIMITATION OF ARMAMENTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) RUGBY, December 19. The Primd' Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain), reviewing international affairs in the House of Commons debate, said British and French relations remained most cordial. As to the Mediterranean, the Premier deplored the .continuation of the disastrous civil war in Spain, but claimed that considerable reductions in foreign intervention had been brought about by Britain’s non-intervention policy.

The Government could not say that really there had been a'breach of faith by Italy in respect to intervention, as alleged by Dr Dalton. Britain did not propose to grant belligerent rights other than in accordance with the plan of the Plymouth Committee. How far it would be possible to discuss at Rome Spanish matters, he could not say, but the House could be sure they would not depart from the principle which had guided British policy throughout—that differences between Spanish parties should be settled by the Spanish people themselves. At this point, Mr Chamberlain observed: “I regret extremely that it should be suggested that Lord Halifax and I require to be bound beforehand by some assurance that we are not going to betray any causes or abandon any vital principles, or to sacrifice any important interests either of this country or any of our friends. Such suggestions are intensely insulting to us. Mr Chamberlain reiterated that they were not going to Rome with any fixed agenda, but to exchange views with Italy upon all or any matters of common interest.

Turning to Germany, Mr Chamberlain said the relations he would like to see with that country were as set forth in the Munich declaration. There was, among British people, a recognition of the great qualities of the German people and a strong desire to see them co-operating in the restoration of European civilisation. “To reproach us with going on with rearmament after Munich is strangely to ignore facts patentto all,” Mr Chamberlain added. “We are ready at any time to discuss the limitation of armaments on the basis that all will contribute to that limitation, with due regard to their own safety, but as long as others are going on arming day and night, we are bound to do the same, because, although reason is the finest weapon in the world, it has little chance to assert itself where force is supreme.”