BRITAIN’S REGRET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 March 1939, Page 7

BRITAIN’S REGRET

DEPARTURE FROM MUNICH AGREEMENT

STATEMENT MADE BY PREMIER ACTION AGAINST CZECHS CONDEMNED. NO EXCUSE OF RACIAL CONNECTION. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, March 15. A crowded and expectant House of Commons listened to Mr Chamberlain s statement on events in Central Europe, in the course of which Mr Chamberlain said the moral guarantee to Czechoslovakia given last October had lapsed, through the disintegration of that country, that the Bank of England had been instructed to suspend any further payments under the credit of ten millions advanced to Czechoslovakia and that the visit of Mr Oliver Stanley (President of the Board of Trade) and Mr R. S. Hudson (Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Trade) would not Proceeding to consider the policy of the Munich settlement, Mr Chamberlain said that, .having regard to the alternatives open to them at that time, he had no doubt the course Britain took was right, and he believed it had received the approval of a vast majority of world opinion. That settlement, however, had not proved final. Czechoslovakia, to which they had hoped to give a more stable future, had disintegrated. That might or might not have been inevitable.

ACCEPTED LIMITS PASSED. “I have so often heard’ charges of breach of faith bandied about which did not seem to me to be founded on sufficient premises, said Mr Chamberlain, “that I do not wish to associate myself today with any charges of that character, but I am bound to say I cannot believe that anything of the kind that has now taken place was contemplated by any of the signatories to the Munich Agreement. The Munich Agreement constituted a settlement accepted by the Four Powers and Czechoslovakia of the Czechoslovakia question. It provided for the fixation of the future frontiers of Czechoslovakia and laid down limits of German occupation which Germany accepted. Germany now, without, as far as I know, any communication with the other three signatories to the Munich Agreement, has its troops beyond the frontier then laid down. Even though it may now be claimed that what has taken place has occurred with the acquiescence of Czechoslovakia, I cannot regard the manner and methods by which these changes have been brought about as in accord with the spirit of Munich. “There is a further point I cannot omit to mention,” said the Prime Minister. “Hitherto the German Government, in extending the area of its military control, has defended its action by the contention that it was only incorporating in the Reich neighbouring masses of people of the German race. Now, for the first time, it is effecting a military occupation of territory inhabited by a people with whom it has no racial connection.” In conclusion, Mr Chamberlain declared that the events he described to the House could not fail to cause disturbance to the international situation and to administer a shock to confidence, which he said was beginning to revive. He recalled his appeal at Birmingham at the end of January for a contribution by others to search for peace which was the aim of his Government', and said it was natural he should bitterly regret what had now occurred.

AN UNCHANGED AIM. “But,” said Mr Chamberlain, “finally do not let us on that account be deflected from our course. Let us remember that the desire of all the peoples of the world still remains concentrated on hopes of peace and of a return to the atmosphere of understanding and goodwill which have so often been disturbed. The aim of this Government is now, as it always has been, to promote that desire and to substitute the method of discussion for the method of force in the settlement of differences. Though we may have to suffer checks and disappointments from time to time, the object we have in mind is of too great significance to the happiness of mankind for us lightly to give it up or set it on one side.” The Premier moved the adjournment of the House of Commons to allow a full dress debate on , the Central European situation. STATEMENT IN LORDS. In the House of Lords, Viscount Halifax made a statement in generally

similar terms to that made by Mr Chamberlain. He deplored the shock to confidence, because the revival which had been taking place was beginning to offer a prospect of concrete measures which would have been of general benefit. Unless, he said, there was some material change in the situation, there would inevitably have to be a postponement of these measures.