NO CHANGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 June 1939, Page 6

NO CHANGE

IN BRITISH FOREIGN POLICY LORD HALIFAX EXPLAINS EARLIER SPEECH. REFERENCES TO CURRENT PROBLEMS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY, June 12. , The Foreign Minister, Viscount Halifax, in the course of a debate on foreign affairs in the House of Lords, emphasised that there had been no change in British foreign icy. His speech on Thursday, ” he said, was practically a frank attempt to get people at home and abroad to face the realities of the situation. There were two things British policy wanted to make plain. Firstly, while making no threats and while concealing no ulterior designs. Britain wanted to make it quite clear to the world that if force were used, those who used it. must count upon force being met by force. Secondly, Britain wished to keep it clear that if there were no attempt nor intention to resort to force, then the whole influence of Britain, which was not negligible, would rightly be thrown on the side of a far-reaching and fair settlement by negotiation. Turning to the Far East, Lord Halifax said the Government had not been indifferent to the treatment of British interests by the Japanese and Britain had not been able to accept Japanese excuses that the steps in question were necessary in military interests. The Government, he added, would continue to make a full effort to secure the rights of British subjects to live and trade peacefully in China.

Lord ETalifax said there was no truth in a rumour of the withdrawal of certain British troops from Shanghai. Moreover, the Commander-in-Chief of the China Squadron had full authority to move ships according to the needs of the moment.

Referring to the case of LieutenantColonel Spear, he said there was an absence of full information, but he had no reason to believe that the matter would not be satisfactorily settled. Referring to Danzig, Lord Halifax emphasised Mr Chamberlain’s ■ recent statement that British assurances to Poland were clear and precise. “The House,” he said, “will recognise that the complex nature of the problem demands the utmost measure of patience and restraint if the most serious and dangerous consequences are to be avoided.” AUSTRALIAN VIEW READINESS TO NEGOTIATE FOR PEACE. APPROVED BY FEDERAL PREMIER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. The Prime Minister, Mr R. G. Menzies, stated that the Commonwealth Government welcomed Mr Neville Chamberlain’s announcement that the British Government was ready to discuss the claims of Germany and others if there was a reasonable prospect of settlement by negotiation and not by force.